


Searching For Sunlight

by AYangThang



Category: RWBY
Genre: Coming of Age, Drama, F/F, Romance, School Life, family life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:09:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 50
Words: 282,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22388470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AYangThang/pseuds/AYangThang
Summary: Life is a messy thing, especially when love gets into the mix.Arc 1: The first year of Beacon Academy has begun, and the team is off to a rocky start. Friendships will be forged that will last a lifetime. It's a long road ahead for  our favorite girls.Arc 2: The girls have finally settled into life at beacon academy. Friendships slowly turn to romance as life goes on at the prestigious Beacon Academy. Team leaders learn new responsibility, and partnerships may lead to something more.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Ruby Rose, Blake Belladonna/Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna/Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Coco Adel/Velvet Scarlatina, Raven Branwen/Vernal, Raven Branwen/Winter Schnee, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Ruby Rose/Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 464
Kudos: 454





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AYangThang: I wrote this story a long time ago, back when FFN was the only site I posted on. When the fandom no longer made it fun to write, I stopped cold. At the end of the day, if a story isn't fun to write I write something else. This story has content that toes a fine line. There are hints of pollination sprinkled throughout. Some people were angry that there wasn't more, and others were pissed off that it was even there at all. 
> 
> Thanks to FFN's limited tagging system, and the fact that people began fighting in the reviews, I didn't want to, or feel the need to deal with that kind of garbage. Eventually, I took the story down.
> 
> I do love this story though, and I have returned to it once again for my own sake. I'm posting it up here because the community here is much more fluid when it comes to ideology. I think some people will find this story enjoyable. For those of you who will, I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> For those of you who don't, please just stop reading. I am going to heavily moderate the comments on this story. Dislike it all you want, that's fine. Just, don't fight or insult other people please. I'm the one who writes it, not anyone else. Any fighting in the comments will be moderated and removed. That was the primary reason I took the story down on FFN the first time, and if it comes down to that, I'll do it again here. I really hope that I don't have to, though.
> 
> Although this fiction draws heavily from cannon, it deviates quite a bit from it as well. Don’t expect complete cannon compliance…oh, but DO expect MILD pollination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYangThang: I wrote this story a long time ago, back when FFN was the only site I posted on. When the fandom no longer made it fun to write, I stopped cold. At the end of the day, if a story isn't fun to write I write something else. This story has content that toes a fine line. There are hints of pollination sprinkled throughout. Some people were angry that there wasn't more, and others were pissed off that it was even there at all. 
> 
> Thanks to FFN's limited tagging system, and the fact that people began fighting in the reviews, I didn't want to, or feel the need to deal with that kind of garbage. Eventually, I took the story down.
> 
> I do love this story though, and I have returned to it once again for my own sake. I'm posting it up here because the community here is much more fluid when it comes to ideology. I think some people will find this story enjoyable. For those of you who will, I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> For those of you who don't, please just stop reading. I am going to heavily moderate the comments on this story. Dislike it all you want, that's fine. Just, don't fight or insult other people please. I'm the one who writes it, not anyone else. Any fighting in the comments will be moderated and removed. That was the primary reason I took the story down on FFN the first time, and if it comes down to that, I'll do it again here. I really hope that I don't have to, though.
> 
> Although this fiction draws heavily from cannon, it deviates quite a bit from it as well. Don’t expect complete cannon compliance…oh, but DO expect MILD pollination with the inclusion of enabler.

**Searching for Sunlight  
Arc I: What If  
Chapter I**

If a promise could be made in a single breath of air, Ruby Rose had made several on this bitterly cold night. Winter’s chill seeped into her bones even when the calm winds died down to nothingness. Her mind wasn’t on her surroundings, but rather, the emotions such a place brought to her. Old memories stagnated against the tapestry of white snow and the smatterings of shadows made by the trees in the darkness. The stars and shattered moon were the only things to guide her way.

She smirked at such a thought, the admittedly silly sentimentality of such a thing tugging on her lips. She knew she shouldn’t be thinking in such a childish way, but her soul was a gentle one. Her youth tender enough still, that she couldn’t help but catch a snowflake on her tongue. Tasting the cold as though it were its own flavor, yet another childlike activity. She had often thought it was time to put such actions behind her, considered doing just that, but distant memories told her it’s wasn’t a tragic sin to maintain her soft sense of levity.

In fact, it might actually be thought of as yet another tool in the arsenal of any well trained huntress. The selfsame as food, water, and shelter. Respite for the heart, comfort for the mind. What else was she to do? The world was such a dark place. Filled with unfairness, loss, and monsters that threatened to swallow humanity whole. The soft laugh that slipped from her lips turned to a sigh as she reached behind her to trace a finger along the metal weapon resting at her back.

Her beloved scythe, Crescent Rose, yet another tool of her future trade. The weapon itself perhaps the one thing that best forewarned about the girl that had forged it. After all, for all of her innocent tendencies, childlike in appearance, name, and action, no child would have been able to build such a deadly weapon. No child would be able to use it. It was this juxtaposition, the complete and total duality of Ruby’s nature, that left most adversaries confused. Her family worried for her safety, but proudly, she did not.

She was still only fifteen. It was a hard age, or so she was told. Her awkward years, or so went the rumors. Her body and mind sat just on the cusp of womanhood, but Ruby noticed neither of those things. In her mind, she had always been awkward. She had always struggled to fit in. Her body growing and changing didn’t matter to her. She just didn’t think of it as anything other than a minor annoyance.

Her heart ached for something more, something feral, that hid in the depths of the wilds.

She was out beyond curfew, the late hour was the perfect time for Grimm to run wild. Her dad probably would have reprimanded her for it, if wasn’t for her uncle who demanded she go hunting out in the woods, alone. He’d been training her meticulously, and this was one of his many ways of doing so. So here she was, on another sleepless night in the middle of the bitter, cold, winter. As he often told her, that was the plight of everyone in his line of work.

The honor of a huntsman was kept by his moral high-ground, not his blade. Although Qrow Branwen was a man with more vices than Ruby cared to admit, he was one of the greatest huntsmen she had ever had the pleasure of knowing.

So, with her mock mission doled out, her weapon properly taken care of and strapped to her back, the young huntress in training made her way through the darkness in search of her foe. The island of Patch, just off the coast of Vale, had several species of Grimm. All of them rabid by nature. Calm and collected, she searched for more of her assigned prey. They were the most common Grimm known to Patch, and the most problematic; Beowolves.

Having just disposed of one wandering pack, Ruby Rose went back to her favorite spot to keep vigil. She meandered around the snowy hilltop. Her red cloak was the only thing to keep her warm, fastened securely around her, shrouding her form in the crimson color. Her fingers were cold, the wind nipping at her face. She kept her head down as she walked, noticing that the snow had already covered her previous tracks.

Stopping at her desired destination, she sat down at the grave marker of her mother, Summer Rose. Hot puffs of air slipped from her lips as she spent the rest of the night watching and waiting for any more would-be assailants on this peaceful, moonlit night.

“Hey Mom.” Ruby spoke, her usual greeting was so easy for her to say now. “Guess I’ll be keeping you company all night again. Dad’s probably mad about it. He hates when I’m out here this late, but you know how he is. Always worrying…”

At first, it was the hardest thing in the world to do, talking to a grave instead of a real person. Knowing that the woman would never really be able to respond, Ruby found it difficult reconciling the past with the present. In her younger years, all she could do was cry. Time hardly soothed over the matter, the passing seasons and the cumulative years causing more questions than answers. It was the power of frustration that first pulled words from her lips as she had spat them at her mother’s grave.

“Though, I guess some of his worries are justified. You know how he is, right? Well, actually that was stupid…of course you know…”

Angry questions and accusations dripping from her mouth like a piping hot venom soon cooled into regret. It wasn’t in Ruby’s nature to hold a grudge, especially over a woman who was taken from her far too soon. Instead, she mourned over the moments she would never get to have, and the important, life changing discussions a daughter should have with her mother. Since fate had taken that away, all she could do now was talk and cling to some profound logic, religious faith was a personal crutch she clung to.

She didn’t know if there was a god, but the thought of heaven provided her with a sense of comfort. The crosses on her cloak, and the thought that her mother had a better place to be consoled her. It took some of the sting out of not having her mother around at all. It was hardly enough. However, if such an impossible place did exist, then it was also completely rational to conclude that her mother could, in fact, hear her talking. If that was true, Ruby didn’t want her mother to hear only the worst.

True, prattling on about nonsense likely wasn’t much better, but Ruby liked to think that’s how their actions would have been. Chatting aimlessly, if Summer Rose were still alive and well. Besides, so long as no one called her crazy, Ruby supposed it was alright to indulge herself in the act. There had to be stranger things in the world than a teenage girl talking to a gravestone.

“So, let’s see, what can I tell you about… Oh, well, Yang’s graduating from Signal soon.” Ruby voiced awkwardly, the idea still a discomforting one to her. “She’s been cramming really hard for the entrance tests into Beacon. She was thinking of going to Atlas, but, that’s really expensive without a scholarship. Dad doesn’t want her going that far away, either. Something about not being able to bail her out of jail or something…”

She trailed off then, the humor in her voice slipping, and her eyes narrowed. “To be honest, I don’t know what’s going on with her. She goes missing a lot these days. Yang used to tell me everything, or at least I think she used to. She won’t tell me where she goes now though. I’ve tried asking, but you know how she is…always playing things off as no big deal. She smiles a lot, but I can’t help but feel like it’s fake somehow. I’m probably reading too much into it, but with Yang, it’s hard to tell.”

Fingers fell onto the stone, softly trailing over the letters, brushing away the snow that had collected there. Ruby’s lips trembled, as her eyes slipped closed. The cold was getting to her, but being alone out on this summit with her thoughts bothered her too. “She comes home sometimes with this stench on her. You know, that smell when someone’s been drinking…” Ruby shrugged looking back out into the blackness of night. “She smells like that. Dad keeps telling her not to go into bars, but she’s been doing it anyway.”

She licked her lips, tasting the chill there, reaching for the canteen at her hip. The hot chocolate had gone cold hours ago, making for a gritty tasting chocolate milk instead. She drank it anyway hoping the sweetness would keep her awake, the sugar and milk fat fortifying, if nothing else. “Anyway, I know she’ll ace the exam. She doesn’t look it, but she studies really hard. I think that her fighting carries her grades the most though, combat schools are like that. I’ve gotten better too, but it’s going to be weird, seeing Yang go on to Beacon. Don’t worry though, I’ll get there eventually.”

Then Ruby paused, looking back down at the marker.

“I wonder why you became a huntress. You never told me, then again, maybe I was too little to really get it. Still, I kind of wish I could have known.” Ruby stood then, pulling her cloak more securely around her. “Guess it’s time to go circle around again. Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll be back before sunrise…”

* * *

“I don’t like this, Qrow.” Taiyang Xiao Long, a blonde haired man and father of two ranted. He tossed another log onto the fire, warming the house. “You know I don’t like her wandering around at night alone.”

“Relax, the Grimm up there are nothing. They’re just young pups. They haven’t even grown their armor yet. She can deal with ‘em.” The man unscrewed his flask, sipping from it deeply before screwing the cap back on. “Can’t be more than a couple months old, those dogs probably haven’t even tasted human blood yet.”

“There are adult Grimm out there too.” Taiyang reminded his friend and former teammate. He had a bite in his tone, acidic and aggravated. “Alpha Grimm roam those woods too, and you sent my daughter up there on her own.”

“I don’t see the problem.”

“It’s a problem when you know she’s still struggling to learn how to fight.”

“It’s not fighting that’s her issue.”

“You know damn well that it is!”

“The kid’s good, Tai.” Qrow told him. “Wet behind the ears, sure. Lacking confidence, no question. Making a mess of things all the time, it’s a given. Thing is, Tai, she’s got what it takes.” At that he leaned forward, grabbing a handful of cashews, popping a few into his mouth. “You stifle that now, she’ll only get hurt later. It’s not fighting she’s bad at. She can do that. What she needs is a real reason to do it. You’re not going to train her by having her fight with other kids her age. She won’t learn anything that way.”

“So you send her into the woods alone?” Taiyang barked.

“Repeatedly. Iteration is the foundation of learning, ya know.” At this he smirked, not at all perturbed by the murderous look he was receiving. “Fighting Grimm is the only way she’ll learn. She knows I’m no real threat to her. Neither are her classmates. It holds her back. It’s not in her to hurt an innocent person, or someone she cares about.”

“Fighting with Grimm sits on an entirely different level. She could end up dead.”

“Tai, that’s life. It ends. Kid could die in her sleep for all you know.”

“Don’t talk about my daughter like that you complete ass.”

Qrow looked at him, finishing off his cashews and standing. He made his way across the room to an old liquor cabinet. He and Tai had carved it themselves, the blemishes in the wood a product of rough handling. It held memories of better days, names stabbed into the wood with little care to the jagged edges given to each letter by the knife. If walls could talk, they would echo those stories piece by piece.

As it was, history was an abstract reality hidden by the times. The names on the cabinet a single hint that wouldn’t elude any further than the existence of the cabinet itself. The rambunctious drinking, and idiocy that could only result from young adults on their own for the first time. Anything beyond that had been lost to the years, and only Qrow and Taiyang knew the truth. Grabbing the first bottle he found he wagged it to listen for sloshing liquid.

The bottle was a top shelf brand, the only kind that Taiyang bothered with. Qrow uncapped it, pouring two glasses.

“I know you worry about Ruby.” He said slowly, studying the marks in the wood all over again. It was almost like a family tree. “Hell, I worry about both of them. Fact is, they’re getting older, living their own lives. You can’t keep them under your thumb forever.”

“Trust me, I know.” Taiyang grumbled, his shoulders heavy with the burdens of a single parent. “You frequent the pubs. You tell me, what do you think Yang does in places like that?”

“Outside of drinking?” Qrow handed him one of the glasses, staring Tai down before shrugging and going back to his own seat. He put his feet on the table, leaning back to get comfortable. “Could be any number of things.”

“It could be, but it isn’t.” Swirling the amber liquid, he took a sip. Letting it linger on his tongue, before he swallowed down the smooth whiskey. “Yang’s playing a dangerous game, Qrow. They both are, and they’re too young to really know that. So, what’s Yang doing when she leaves the house late at night?”

“My best bet, I’d throw down money that she’s probably snooping around. Waiting for Raven’s name to crop up someplace.”

“That would never happen.” Taiyang laughed darkly. “Raven’s too careful, too smart.”

He was already halfway to draining his drink when he spluttered a laugh. The mere implication striking him as funny. The back of his hand lifted to his chin to clear away the dribble. “The thing about my sister is, she hides in plain sight. She keeps a better eye on things than you give her credit for. Yang won’t find her unless Raven wants to be found. The question is, does she want to be? If Raven’s one thing, she’s eccentric. I wouldn’t put it past her to leave a few breadcrumbs for Yang to find one day.”

“You can’t prove that.”

“I’m not saying she’s mother of the year.” Qrow bit out. “I’m just saying, Yang’s not a baby anymore. Raven might take some interest in her daughter now that she’s an adult.”

“Considering who that woman hangs around with, I don’t find that very comforting.”

“No one will pick a fight with Yang unless Raven lets it happen. Problem is, she’s more likely to let it happen, and have Yang duke it out on her own terms. Yang’s a tough girl, like her mom in that way. It would be an interesting thing to see, really.”

“My daughters are not a spectacle for you to enjoy, and I hate when you bring things up like that.”

“Because you’re scared.” Qrow grumbled. “Besides, Yang has a right to decide for herself what place Raven takes in her life. They’re related, idiot. You can’t deny either of them that simple fact.”

Taiyang knew it was a lost cause to argue with the man in front of him. Instead, he sipped his drink and scowled, his eyes falling onto the roaring fire warming the house. The shadows in his memories flickered to life there. Some of them good, some of them bad, all of them hard to deal with. “That still doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Grimacing at his now empty glass, Qrow rubbed his forehead, needing another drink already. “Yeah, well, join the club. Just because I’m the resident jackass around here, it doesn’t mean I actually want to see either of them get hurt…I just know, holding them back, that’ll do more damaging than bailing their asses outta trouble once they find it.”

As men, they had vastly different views on how women should be treated, and how small girls should be raised. Tai maintained a gentler approach when he could, while Qrow really didn’t give a damn one way or the other. As huntsmen, their views were night and day as well. Taiyang couldn’t count their many disagreements, all of them stemming from one fact or the other. Yang and Ruby had their formative years shaped by such arguments. They were products of the family’s inherently flawed design.

They stay quiet for a few moments before a blinding white light hits the windows. The roar of an engine outside cut off, and the light disappeared. Footfalls came heavily before Yang opened and closed the door behind her. She yawned carelessly, her helmet tucked underneath one arm lazily. With the other, she pulled off her aviators. Then, shaking out her hair, she tossed her keys onto the rack by the door.

“And just where the hell have you been?” Taiyang asked as he stood, the blonde teen landing heavily under his scrutiny.

“Out.” Yang said, meeting his stare defiantly. “That a problem?”

“You know it is.” He said, pointing to the clock. “It’s passed last call. You weren’t drinking again, were you?”

“Doesn’t matter what I was out doing. If you were that worried, you should have tracked my scroll. You’re a hunter, you can do that,” she said as she took a few steps forward. “But no, I wasn’t drinking, which is more than I can say for you,” Yang walked over to him. A deep disappointment seeping into her eyes as she took the glass out of his hand. “Are you really going to get pissed off with me when you’re doing this?” She waved the empty glass back and forth gently for emphasis. Setting it down, she shook her head. “You know better.”

“Easy on your old man there, firecracker.” Qrow cajoled. “I’m plenty trashed for the both of us. He had one, that’s it.”

“He shouldn’t be having any.” Yang bit out, turning back to her father. “You promised me you wouldn’t drink around Ruby. You know you get depressed, and I really don’t want her seeing one of your breakdowns. It’s bad enough I have to see that…she shouldn’t have to.”

“She’s not home.” At that he sat back down, sighing heavily. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Yang was right, and he knew it.

Liquor had always been a complicated thing for him. There was once a time in his younger years that he could have gone with or without booze, imbibing only for the pleasure of doing so. Then, like many young hunters newly graduated, the lifestyle began to hit him hard. His team did what they suspected any team might do. They got drunk. They kept getting drunk…kept soothing away the dangers of the job the best way they knew how.

Unthinkingly, life as they knew it moved forward after graduation. Difficult emotions began to mingle with the work. All of that mixed with the drinking. Everything adulthood slapped onto them, they slapped on the backburner. It was all excuses he knew, but the numbness got the better of all of them, Raven included. In a moment of what could only be called stupidity, he had unprotected sex with Raven, multiple times. For months they didn’t think anything of it, but eventually, it was one time too many.

Raven got pregnant, and Yang was born not long after.

It was around that time, that booze became the devil’s drink for Taiyang. Cackling at his subconscious, dampening the regrets clawing at him, and amplifying his victories tenfold. There was no single moment that labeled him an alcoholic. No singular cure for the problems that ailed him. Yang and Ruby were his voices of reason, a force of morality that he could no longer hold onto on his own. If it wasn’t for his daughters, he would be even deeper into the drink than Qrow by now, and that wasn’t even a question.

It was a nightmare that promised to be true.

“Dad, where did she go?” Yang asked, pulling Taiyang from his thoughts.

He nodded over to her uncle in a way of explanation. “Qrow sent her on another one of his damn training missions out in the woods. She’ll be gone all night.”

“Are you crazy?” She whirled on her uncle. “Do you realize how cold it is out there?”

“That’s why they call it training.”

“She’s fifteen!” Yang shot back.

“You were fifteen on your first overnight mission too…besides, this isn’t her first rodeo.”

“I was buddied up with five other girls.” Yang reminded him. “You know, just like Signal’s rules say you have to be partnered up on all missions, _and_ have a parent permission slip signed? Doesn’t look like Dad agreed to this. You could totally be fired from the academy.”

“Could be, but he isn’t that stupid to report me. Besides, the Academy is just a side job, a favor for a friend.” Qrow just rolled his eyes as Yang glared at him even more than before. “If you’re so damn worried, get your ass moving. For the next few months, you’re still a Signal student. You want to partner up and baby her, go right on ahead. I won’t stop you.” At this, he stretched, cracking his neck contently as he smirked at his niece. “In the meantime, I’m going to keep my backside planted right here, and have some faith that Ruby isn’t the pushover you both think she is.”

“I don’t think that.” Yang struggled before finally stomping over to one of the open seats, sitting down and cursing. She struggled hard, wavering with the thought process. “If she comes home with even a scratch, I’m decking you in the face…” It wasn’t an idle threat either, both men knew that. Yang would haul off and punch them to get her point across. It was just her way. They all had powerful aura, the act of aggression wouldn’t even put a dent in it…not yet, anyway. Given a few years, and a bit more training, Qrow knew Yang’s punch would pack more heat than her father’s ever could.

Then, and only then, he might let himself be worried.

The ghost of a past memory made a twinge appear in her uncle’s jaw, and Qrow lifted a few fingers there thoughtfully. He rubbed a small circle before shrugging uncaringly again. Then he got up to grab another glass. This time, doling out the stiff drink to Yang. “We’re a family, Yang, shit-show that we may be on some days. Ruby’s a big girl, she can take it. If not, she can deck me herself.”

At this, Taiyang lifted his glass. “Amen to that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project.
> 
> (Edited as of April 8th, 20020)


	2. Chapter 2

**Searching for Sunlight** **  
****Arc I: What If?** **  
****Chapter II**

If money and bloodline were truly the most important things in the entire world, it would have been true that Weiss Schnee would never need or want for anything. As many assumed, she lived in the lap of luxury. On the surface, that was true. She had only the finest things in life. She knew nothing of the difficulties of even the upper-middle class, let alone the poor. Her status and family name aside, her looks provided to her a great deal to be jealous of as well. Men wanted to date her, women wanted to be her, and everyone wanted her attention for even a split second…

Even if that attention was only laced with aggravation and animosity, it was still high in demand.

She dressed to impress, because impressions were everything. She sang like a songbird, because she was expected to. She trampled on the feelings of those below her, because she had been raised to. She demanded perfection, because her father had instilled in her that anything less would be an insult. These were simply the facts surrounding her life, little more. Women were meant to be dignified. To find a suitor and to settle down. To mind the men in their lives, no matter what.

Everything in her life had been laced with the undercurrent of impossibly high expectation. Nothing he asked of her was merely for the sake of it. Correlation or causation mattered not, because everything turned out to be the same.

Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, felt as if she was a carved figure of marble. Unable to show a single fault, because doing so would lessen her entire value. She acted as near to perfection as humanly possible, but no matter how she tried, she was not a perfect creature. She wasn’t anywhere near close to the goddess she was expected to be, as if mythology itself could be toppled by her family’s greatness.

If only such power were attainable, then perhaps she wouldn’t be nursing her bruised ego yet again.

The reality was that the lap of luxury was figuratively covered with barbs, each one sharper, more biting than the last. Each one cutting deep into her with an expectation that she could never even hope to live up to. She could try, and she would try, but on some level, Weiss could feel the futility of all of her efforts. The complete and total disgust and malignancy her parents felt towards each other trickled down to her, and Weiss felt the heavy weight of it.

Her parents fought over her, each one demanding favoritism. She loved them both, she couldn't simply choose one over the other.

For whatever entitled reason they each had, both her father and her mother demanded her utmost and complete loyalty. As if choosing one somehow diminished her love for the other. The war was a silent one, but it had waged on since she was a child. Her daily life had been riddled with murmurs and quiet arguments in the halls. Things that as a little girl, she had been too young to fully understand. Realities that as a teenager, she never should have needed to endure the brunt of.

Try as though she might, Weiss loved both of her parents.

She cared for her family, and like the little perfectionist she had been raised to be, Weiss wanted it all. Stubbornly, she refused to pick a favorite parent. She refused to deny claim to the company. She demanded to be a huntress. The perfect little heiress holding out her hands, expecting to be handed all of these things, because she thought them simple. She assumed that she was entitled enough to have them.

She would stop at nothing to prove it too, even if it meant putting herself in danger in order to do it.

“You’re as argumentative as ever, I see. You couldn’t have handled the situation calmly, could you?” A stout man scoffed as he gently cleaned blood away from perfectly white hair. The wound on her face had now entirely healed because of her aura. Yet it had not healed perfectly, a blemish remained. A thin line that he knew would never go away. “Are you sure you haven’t lost any sight?”

“My eye didn’t receive any damage, Klein,” she said, grabbing his wrist to stop his meticulous yet gentle assault with the cotton ball. It was red and pink, the crimson colors there were likely the same in her hair. “How bad is it? Did it stain? I’ll have to bleach it out, won't I?”

“Fortunately, it didn’t stain a single strand. You were lucky, I’d hate to have to explain to your father that your hair became bloodied. It’s bad enough we will have to explain your scar,” the butler assured as he pulled away and carefully set down his utensils. “You know, when you told me you wanted to be a huntress, I worried for your condition. This only increases that worry tenfold.”

“Why? Because I wasn’t the prim and proper little debutante that my father could parade around?” She asked with a somewhat annoyed smile.

“Well, if I’m to be frankly honest, yes.” The short butler looked into her eyes carefully, as if inspecting them. Looking to see any changes, and one hand gently cupped her cheek, his thumb pressing along the curve of her cheekbone tenderly. “I always expected your brother to be the one who sustained the bumps and bruises in the family. Winter was always something of a wild child too, but, you…”

“I?” She asked, encouraging him to continue.

The butler frowned, more in befuddlement than sadness. His bushy brows crinkling under his burdensome thoughts. “I did not expect you to be so rough and tumble. Really, it’s almost as if you want to turn my hair as white as your own. With all the trouble you get yourself into, it would only be a matter of time,” he gestured to the bloodied medical supplies, as if that were statement enough.

She looked over at them too, but she had already set her injury aside. “Well, it isn’t as if I like to draw blood on any given day.”

“Although you do it more and more.” At this, Klein shook his head and pulled away. He wasn’t entirely satisfied that she was safe and sound. Weiss insisted she was alright, so he let the matter slide. “I’ll believe you this time when you say that you’ve healed just fine. Even so, you have to admit, you were thrown around like a ragdoll. Even Winter knows to hold back when challenging you to duel, something that an animatronic knight does not.”

Weiss gave him something of a haughty look that softened a moment later. She could never keep up appearances in front of this one man. Her earliest memories consisted of many unpleasant moments, but he had been the balm for a great many of them. Doting on her with little gestures and thoughtfulness, he had earned a trusted place with Weiss, and saw a side of her that was only ever shared with one other person.

Her older sister, Winter.

“I believe that was quite the point, Klein,” she said as she reached for the cup of hot chocolate he had provided, careful not to get any whipped cream on her upper lip. “Father thinks me incapable, of course he would try to prove that to the best of his abilities. He doesn’t want me to leave Atlas.”

“He may be right, loathe though I am to admit it. I cannot fathom the danger you’ll put yourself in.” Klein replied slowly as he partook his own drink, sipping on it before dabbing his mouth with a white cloth. “You have a scar to prove that this test was not easy to overcome. Furthermore, there is nothing I can do to remedy it. Your father may use that against you.”

“I defeated the knight, which was all that was asked of me. There were no stipulations on personal injury, destruction of property, or what skills at my disposal were to be used. All that he demanded of me, was simply to win the fight. I did that.”

“Well, yes, I suppose you did.” Klein conceded darkly, his eyes changing color as his voice deepened with his quickly souring mood.

“Displeased with me, are you?” Weiss asked softly, but her impish smirk didn’t subside.

“If it were me, I would have forbidden you to do battle with that horrendous contraption. You want to be a huntress, I would never squander that desire. Regardless, you are no huntress yet, and I do not condone these petty squabbles that you insist to fight with your father.”

“The simple answer would have been to say yes.”

“This is no laughing matter, Weiss.”

“I know, Klein.” Weiss said softly, her smirk falling.

“Your father cannot be reasoned with. I have no idea why you agree to his pompous blather, or why you add to it with your own. You are such a gentle person when you wish to be, and I have no idea why you don’t act with kindness more often.” At that, he massaged his temple. “Why do you insist on provoking him? It does no good.”

Weiss smiled sadly this time. “How else am I to get his attention?” She posed honestly. “Besides, I’ve earned a meeting with him in his office for my efforts, so that says something.”

“Off with you then,” the butler grumbled, shooing her off. “And for the thousandth time, do be careful!” He went about cleaning up the medical supplies, muttering about the Schnee family and their flair for dramatics. Weiss could only smile fondly at the scene. Klein was a temperamental man yet fiercely loyal. Although he acted more as her keeper than the family butler in recent years, Klein cared dearly for her in the way her own father never had.

She was far more thankful for that than she often let on.

She excused herself, walking down the seemingly endless hallways, the décor kept in immaculate condition, even though she found it somewhat lacking in warmth. The chill in the air aside, the blues and whites that covered the house did little to make it seem welcoming. When she was young, she ran barefoot along the rough carpeting with little regard to why her house was kept the way it was. Now she knew that it was meant to be imposing.

Newcomers would certainly notice the oppressive surroundings, and if a person was not unsettled, they were probably not normal.

Weiss herself, felt a sense of unease as she noticed that the door to her father’s office was cracked open. A silent invitation to enter. It was rare to see it in such a way, as he often kept it locked. Rare memories from her childhood flooded her the moment her fingers nudged the door. She used to be so happy when he left the door cracked for her. His office was a treasure trove of books with maps, vials of dust spanning a large rainbow, and a candy bowl holding dark chocolates with caramel.

It was a place of magic, her opinion slanted with a child’s virtue.

It wasn’t until she was older that her fondness of the room turned sour, and her desire to enter was replaced with dread. Crossing the threshold, she noticed him sitting there, his eyes glued to the holographic image in front of him. Observing, once again, the recorded battle that had just taken place.

The room felt heavier because of it.

The air harder to breathe. Every passing moment that his silence persisted, it became more difficult. She had done her best to win his approval, felt the necessity of it gripping tightly at her chest. She knew he wasn’t always a good man and held his own motivations far above those of everyone else. His temper scared her, but temperance itself was not an emotion the man knew at all. He was either pleased or displeased, the two extremes volatile by nature.

The way he tented his fingers worried her.

His musings were a mystery, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was considering every angle. Studying every complexity and minor detail. He would do strictly as he wanted, and that was simply the way it was. Finally he looked up and addressed her, offering for her to take a seat. Then, and only then, did he open the dish of candy protected by a crystal topper. He partook one, urging her to do the same.

As a young girl, she would have gleefully taken one. Even a few short years ago, she would have seen the offering as a peaceful endeavor. A doting father trying to quell his daughter’s worries. Now she knew it was a bribe, and very little else. A ploy to her fondest memories and how deeply she clung to them. Though she knew exactly what it was, she reached in and took a small oval chocolate from the dish, biting into it, delicately savoring the flavor.

It was only after they had both eaten one that he put the topper back onto the dish.

Then he reached for the buzzer that connected a speaker directly to Klein’s scroll. “Klein, I’ll need two plates of supper delivered to my office, complete with two glasses of red wine. The second one is for Weiss, and thus, does not need to be watered down.”

“Yes, certainly sir.” Klein replied. “I’ll see to it right away.”

Weiss smiled only slightly, thinking of how many times her brother often ate in the office along with their father. Whitley was young enough that he was not yet permitted to drink full-bodied wine without it being watered down. Weiss however, bypassed such a rule on her sixteenth birthday, the legal drinking age in Atlas. Whitley would too, the following year. Her momentary observation was pushed aside when her father pulled some paperwork from his desk.

The first folder contained the Beacon logo across the front. The second thick folder indicated it was from Atlas Academy, and she felt the full situation loom heavily overhead again.

“Weiss, if I am to understand you correctly, you wish to go to Beacon Academy.”

“Yes sir.” She kept her hands in her lap, choosing this moment to look up at him. She was, in many ways, daddy’s little girl. The star child of his, filled with so much promise. She knew she stood on a slippery slope. To displease him was a dangerous thing, but thankfully, Weiss had rarely encountered his true wrath. Still, disappointment was a very real outcome, and she had managed to fall short of his expectations often enough to be mindful of her place.

“More aptly, you wish to go to Vale?” Her father asked. She nodded, another soft affirmation falling from her lips. “Why?” He asked.

“Well, that’s a very multifaceted question.” A very valid question, truth be told. Even so, she felt it claw into her with all of the ferocity of a deranged beast. “To answer it succinctly, I think it would be very beneficial. I wish to become a huntress, and I feel as though that’s still the right choice to make. Furthermore, I feel as though Beacon Academy best suits my goals for my future endeavors.”

“Your sister attended Atlas Academy.” He reminded Weiss gently. “She chose to stay close to home, and I found the arrangement fitting. It was much safer because she didn’t stray far from my influence.” He cocked his head slightly to the side in a disarming sort of way. “Would you say that her education seems lacking? That she is inept for having attended Atlas instead of Beacon?”

“Father, it has nothing to do with that at all. Atlas Academy is a fine institution, and I know I would have a wonderful education if I chose to go there. However, it’s as you said. Winter has already attended that academy. She has already made a name for herself as a Schnee, and it’s a fine reputation at that.”

“Is it now?” He asked. “Are you saying that simply to be agreeable, or do you believe it to be fact?”

“Father, I would never insult Winter that way. I adore her too much to ever think less of her. Even if I disliked her, however, it is an indisputable fact that her studies served her well.” Weiss said slowly. She had to be careful, any misstep, and he’d lock her up in her room again. He did that when he was angry. Weiss swallowed hard as she looked into his eyes. “I fear, I would only be her shadow.”

“Perhaps you should set aside those fears. You should be happy to attend Atlas, shouldn’t you?” He replied, opening up the folder. He had forced her to take both entrance exams. She passed both of them with flying colors. She had a knack for the crisp and clean way that Atlas Academy forced students to live. Beacon, was far more lax in almost all ways an educational institution could be. “As you say, it’s a fine school. I highly approve of all of the faculty.”

“I would be lucky to do so, but I find that isn’t going to be enough.” She looked to him then, begging him to understand. “I am the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. If I were to walk in my sister’s footsteps, wouldn’t that seem rather dull to our contributors?” She asked him. “I’m much younger than Winter. She has already made herself an icon of the people here in Atlas. I’d pale in comparison to her, and I don’t think we can allow that to happen. If I am to follow in your footsteps, shouldn’t I be exemplary too?”

“Indeed, I agree, you should be exemplary. You are my daughter, after all.” He gave nothing away. No indication of ire. Yet no hint of pride, either. He was calm and collected, and that could be a wonderful, or a terrible sign. She wasn’t sure which, and that was perhaps more terrifying than expecting his outrage. “So then, Weiss, what would you suggest?”

“Ideally, I would stay here and learn from you directly. However, I’m not eighteen yet, and this isn’t some small family business. It would be shocking if I didn’t have some sort of formalized education. Making myself a reputation that extends beyond the borders of Atlas would do our family a great deal of good. This is why I’ve chosen Beacon Academy, and I would truly like to see your approval in this matter.”

“And you believe you can do as you say?” He asked with an upraised eyebrow. “That you can become exemplary at Beacon?”

“I believe failure isn’t an option. It’s not a question of being able to do it, I simply have to do it,” she told him. It was honest, if nothing else. If she was allowed to go, she couldn’t even think of failure as an outcome. She couldn’t afford to fail, not even a little. She would have to excel in all ways and likely agree to his demands in ways that she couldn’t yet calculate. For all of her intellect, she was no match for him. That was obvious. “I want to be given the chance.”

“I don’t know, Weiss. Vale is quite far away. It is quite a bit different there, you may be in for culture shock. Faunus roam around quite freely, and that also makes me think that you will be in danger simply by attending.”

“To be fair, Father, several Faunus attend Atlas Academy too.” Weiss looked down at her hands then. “There’s no way to avoid them.”

“The population of the student body is vastly different. The methodology with which Atlas Academy permits Faunus to attend is different too. It’s a privilege in Atlas, not a right, and it can be taken away. Vale doesn’t view Faunus with the same sort of heavy hand, they run wild because of it.” He continued. “I have to consider the social order, how and why it is maintained in such an ill-begotten manner. Vale is… _liberal_ …to speak the kindest I can of it.”

“Father, please, I know that Vale is far away. I understand the dangers. I’ve been training hard for this, and I just want the chance to prove myself.” Even though she was trying to appease him, she knew slipping up at Beacon could have dire consequences. She had to make him see things her way. She needed him to agree if she ever hoped to make it across the Atlas border. “I want to be distinguished even among our prestigious family line. Please, just one chance to do that is all that I ask.”

At this, the man chuckled in a way she knew to be kindness, rare as it was. A face she encountered more often at parties and charity events, rather than ever directed at her. She didn’t know if she should be wary or not. “I see that you insist, so I shall allow it.” He said, leaning back in his chair. “You will be permitted to attend Beacon. However, I do expect perfection from you, Weiss. Don’t allow yourself to falter in your studies, not even a little. Am I understood?”

“Yes sir.” She nodded. “Of course, I wouldn’t dream of anything less.” It was a victory, her first with her father in a long time, and she felt a wave of joy at that. It seemed almost as if he cared for her after all. That he saw her wishes and desires, and wanted to encourage them. The smile she displayed was poised yet completely genuine. “I promise to be the best in the entire school. I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t,” he replied. “You are my daughter, after all.”

* * *

Weiss couldn’t deny that she was related to that man by blood. She looked like him in ways that people often made note of. That her eyes were just a shade bluer than the rest of her family, just like her father. That her delicate features and doll like body was more akin to his family line than her mother’s line. Her smile was his, her glare was his, and her fury was the selfsame as his. With so much of her father’s likeness in her very being, she often lamented her luck.

After all, her sister was shapely, tall and elegant in ways that Weiss could only hope to be, and her mother was much the same. Even her semblance spurned her, and she felt as if she would never fully master the complexity of her family’s semblance, passed down the line, generation to generation. That would make sense too, since her father had married into the family and couldn’t command the glyphs at all.

All of that was a matter for another time, though. There was something more important to focus on as Weiss faced the stern and displeased gaze of her elder sister. The sibling sighing at great length into the palm of her hand, as though far too vexed with her sister’s antics to properly form words. “You wish to attend Beacon?"

"Yes."

"Even though I question your ability to defend yourself properly at this current time? Even though I cannot help but think that the very notion is a dangerous one? You still wish to go?”

“Any more dangerous than joining the military, dearest sister?”

The two siblings sat side by side on the white painted bench overlooking the grounds just under the balcony. Although the snippy comment was meant in good fun, there was a hint of bitterness underneath all of it. Winter was raised differently. She was well-traveled and worldly, both in experience and in temperament. The expense of such experience came with leaving the household behind for a number of years. Although she gained a new sort of freedom in the military, she lost a great deal of it too. Winter was only able to return home when time permitted her to do so.

As a result, she was far more capable of understanding the perils Weiss thought herself ready to stand against. Winter tried to measure her retort, to gently explain the matter to her sister without letting the girl down. However, that was in essence the entire problem. For Weiss to understand the situation at all, Winter would have to talk to Weiss as if she were a subordinate, not her little sister. With cruelty leading to eventual kindness, Winter braced herself for the worst.

“I don’t think you are ready for the complications of Beacon Academy or any academy, for that matter.”

“What, but why?!” Blue eyes met those much the same color, only a touch darker, as she stared on in shock. “I mean… Of course that’s not what I meant to say exactly, but the sentiment is,” she explained, correcting herself. “May I ask why you feel that way? Did I do something wrong?”

“The matter is complex, Weiss.”

“Isn’t it always?”

Winter Schnee licked her lips slowly and looked at the frail looking young woman seated beside her. Weiss wasn’t nearly as weak as she first seemed, but to think of her as a powerful huntress, that was a stretch that Winter could not make. “I suppose you could say that, couldn’t you?” She averted her gaze thoughtfully to her own weapon, forged in powerful steel. Idly, she recalled when she had chosen the path she now walked upon steadily. It had not been easy then, either.

“I value your opinion greatly.” Weiss continued hopefully. “I would hope you know that. So please, don’t hold back.”

“I cannot phrase it well.” Winter began, as if seeing something in the far off distance. “However, I feel there is a fine line between being capable of something, and actually deciding to do so. Just because you can make an attempt, it doesn’t mean you should. I believe this mentality extends across many things in our lives, Weiss. Furthermore, I feel it may extend to your desire to be a huntress. I have my doubts that it will be a good fit for you.”

“You think I’ll fail in Beacon, don’t you?”

“I think you have been brainwashed beyond reasonable measure.” Winter corrected coolly before her smooth voice gentled ever so slightly. “Sister, the world is not always so black and white. It is not a place that you can demand ultimatums. You have been raised in a household that acts as a bubble. Father’s teachings will only prove to be a disservice to you once you leave his influence even slightly. I understand your desire to see the world, but I had hoped you would do so at my side, so that I could keep you safe.”

“So that I could be under your influence instead?” Weiss posed quietly. It was a soft accusation lacking anything more than curiosity. She trusted Winter deeply and knew that her words weren’t meant to be malicious in any way. Even so, to be thought of as so ill-prepared, so lacking, stung painfully in her chest. “Won’t I still lack independency if that’s the case?”

“Perhaps.” Winter replied. “Independency is an obscure thing. To be that way, you must first learn to be reliant on trustworthy people. To take from them and learn their methods, so that you too, may stand on your own two feet. That being said, I feel as though your studies up until now may, in fact, be unhelpful. That they have set you up to fail.”

“There has never been anything wrong with my grades…”

“Father is the sort of person to educate in the way he sees the world. He chooses teachers and tutors based on that.” Winter clarified. “However, that doesn’t always mean that the information you have been provided happens to be factual. Much of it is mere conjecture. Thoughts and feelings, while valid, don’t lend themselves as evidence and fact.”

“Winter, you are my beloved sister, I will always admire and respect you. It’s just that sometimes, I wonder if you truly trust me.” Weiss said honestly, her eyes trailing down in shame. “I’m seventeen, and here I am, unable to choose my own advanced schooling. Ready for it or not, prepared or not, don’t you think I should at least learn that for myself?”

“The lesson will be beyond your measure, Weiss. It will be a rude awakening, a powerful one that may actually break your composure and your spirit. Vale is very much unlike the mentality of Atlas. You will notice that in an instant, and when you realize that it has become your new daily life, your new routine…" The elder sibling trailed off sadly. "Weiss, I need you to understand that our family name will only hinder you, it will not help you. You must think carefully and decide if the struggle is worth it.”

“And isn’t that what defines a good judge of personal character?” Weiss asked her. “Isn’t the struggle to better oneself the most difficult struggle of all? For me, I feel as though Beacon is how I can better myself. I feel that’s the path I should take in my life at this very moment. I’m not sure if that’ll be a mistake or not. Yet, even if it is, isn’t it my mistake to make?”

Winter studied Weiss then, slowly nodding her head. “Yes, of course it is. Weiss, I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life. I merely want you to be completely sure that you’ve thought about your choices carefully. If you truly want to attend Beacon, if I cannot convince you to do otherwise, then you should follow your conviction. I just want you to understand it won’t be so easy. I strayed far from this household too. Although I’m ultimately happier for doing it, studying at Atlas alongside my peers was very difficult.”

“I’m sure everything will be alright.”

“I was sure of that too, but at first Weiss, it wasn’t.” Winter shook her head. “I had to learn many things. You will too, of course. Beyond that, Vale isn’t as safe for you as Atlas.” It wasn’t her place to fill her sister’s head with negativity. She shoved her fears aside expertly, as her training had instilled her to do. “In any case, you must promise me that you will contact me the moment you feel as if things have gone awry. Swear to me that if you get into trouble, that you won’t try to endure it on your own. I expect at least that much from you.”

“I will contact you if things go unwell, Winter.” Weiss said honestly. “I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. 
> 
> Chapter updated as of 4/6/2020


	3. Chapter 3

**Searching for Sunlight** **  
****Arc I: What If?** **  
****Chapter III**

If she knew then, what she knew now, there would be no question that she would have left the White Fang the same time as her parents. She could have been more prepared, saved more lives, have done more good. She could have seen the tangible outcome of her actions so much sooner. Maybe, if she were lucky, she would have been able to make more reasonable changes for the Faunus plight. At the very least, she could have found a new cause to fight for.

Perhaps, in hindsight, she could have built one on her own, spearheading the Faunus movement with peaceful actions once more.

All of that was a pipe dream now. Running away was her only option. Her single justification. Casting aside the last bit of moral high ground was the only thing she could do. Her cowardice now would save her later. Her mind, her heart, told her this. There would be no justice within the confines of the White Fang, there were no moral choices in Adam’s view of the world.

He only saw victory in brash action. Fury gaslighting his argument that fire could be beaten with fire. That a stronger force, an imposing force, would win the respect of the human race. What was more terrifying than his logic was that Adam was right. With abuse came a tortured sense of respect, and some humans were so terrified of Faunus that they would yield at the sight of one. Although Blake didn’t agree with it, and couldn’t bring herself to see things his way, she had to concede one thing.

His twisted logic had been getting results.

For Adam, that was enough of a reason to keep using cruelty to get his way. A threat here, a robbery there, a few drug deals, dust trades, and murders slipping into obscurity. Adam had become absorbed into the murky underbelly fueling the criminal world. It was a place Blake had no intention of being part of, a scheme that she could no longer swallow. If only she had listened to her parents, if only she had been just a little older when she started to strike out on her own, then none of this would be her fault.

But, it was her fault…all of it was her fault.

Agreeing to Adam’s plans was a mistake. Her words almost held the same weight of her father’s voice years ago. She knew this now. Her Faunus brethren looked to her, respected her, the same way they looked to her father…and instead of seeing that, instead of realizing it, she had looked to Adam. That one single act leading hundreds, if not thousands, of young Faunus her age to join his cause with the same blind fellowship that she had first inspired.

Now, because of that, she could do nothing to stop the outrageous organization that the White Fang had become.

Running was the first thing that came to mind. She couldn’t go home. With the way she screwed things up, Blake surmised that she probably wouldn’t be welcome. She couldn’t go crawling back to her friends, either. Knowing she betrayed them hurt, but knowing what they were capable of scared her. She could still smell the smoke and ash covering her. She could feel patches of oil on her skin.

Her aura had protected her body, but she still had the visible signs of a fight caking her.

The freezing rain and sleet soaked her to the bone, not washing any of it away. It just dirtied her even more as the droplets sopped her clothes and made her weapon slick. The downpour was so bad, she couldn’t even jump along rooftops like she wanted to. She had to make her way through the city down on the ground where people could see her. She could hear the way some of the humans talked about her.

Just another filthy Faunus clogging up the walkway with her existence.

Because she had nothing else to cling to, she grasped onto her justification. She ran because it was all she knew how to do. Fighting solved nothing, it got her nowhere. Her feet carried her faster because that was the only thing that produced peaceful results. She needed to get further away from her nightmare, she had to put it behind her. A shop came into view, the warm glow was like that of the sun.

She ran faster still, her chest burning for air. She swallowed it in large gulps. Without this final place to hide, she would be all alone.

Pushing through the door, she collapsed in a sobbing heap. Water pooling around her and soaking into the carpet as she continued to cry. She barely registered the big and strong hands of the shopkeeper as he handled her carefully. Wrapping her in a dusty towel and carrying her into the back room. His scent filled her nose, the only thing akin to family she felt she had left. Burying her nose into his shoulder, she cried all the more for it.

Relief, guilt, happiness, fear, all of it muddled together. She couldn’t bring herself to care at the unsightliness of it all. Her tears were ugly, like all of the sins she’d committed since coming to Vale. She didn’t know how many tissues she used or how long she cried. She couldn’t even measure the time that slipped by. Finally, she was able to settle down. Short tasks, easy ones, drifted into her mind, she acted on instinct.

Drying her eyes. Taking a few breaths. Washing up in the bathroom sink. Shucking off her dirty clothes that soaked her to the bone. Borrowing one of the man’s completely oversized shirts that covered her like a dress. Sitting down to a mug of hot tea and a kind, reassuring smile. All of it mingled. With some measure of order holding her together, she found a hint of peace. She could finally explain herself properly, purge all of it honestly, and she did.

The end of her story about what happened on the train was no less comforting than the beginning of it. She concluded it the same way she had begun her tale. “…I should have stopped him.”

“You couldn’t have.”

“Then I should have figured that out and left sooner.”

“It’s not so simple.”

“I’m a fugitive, don’t you understand that?”

“Oh, let’s not be so dramatic.” The older male in front of her, a Faunus male at that, could only rub at his head of hair. “I know you have such great visions for what the White Fang should be, but people are complicated.” He shook his head as he leaned heavily on his own knees, slumped in such a way that Blake could tell he was exhausted. “The plight of the Faunus extends far beyond your family, the White Fang, and even the archives of history itself…this….this is not your fault, Blake.”

“Did Dad know about the attacks? Or even just the train? Did he agree to any of this?”

The man shook his head. “Of course not. Ghira isn’t that sort of man.”

“If I…” She cut herself off. “I guess that doesn’t matter. I should have done things differently, that’s a given.” She looked up to him. “Tukson, I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, I can’t tell you,” he said slowly. “If I knew that answer, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here in Vale with a bookstore on my hands. The crimes on my hands are much more severe than yours. You’re young, you have chance to change the way your life is going.” He picked up a book from the table, looked through the yellowing pages and then he handed it to her. “One thing I know for sure is, everyone needs something to believe in. Even the misguided souls in the White Fang.”

She took the book, laughing bitterly. “You know I don’t believe in fairytales.”

“As if I’d ever forget that.” Tukson chuckled idly. “You never had a proper childhood, and that’s a crime I will never forgive your parents for. Then again, I think to myself, I have to let the injustice stand.”

“I…don’t understand.”

“Ghira should have settled down. He should have known when to shut up, put his morals aside, and raise you like a little girl should be raised.” Tukson explained. “If he did that, though, things would be different. You wouldn’t be who you are today, and that’d be a damn shame.” Reaching out, he ruffled her hair lightly, a tiny smirk sitting on his lips. Gently, he smoothed out one of her flattening ears. “You need to understand, being young and angry, fighting for a cause, there’s merit in that…”

“Not with the way Adam’s doing things.” Blake said with a shake of her head. “We went on that train, and he did it with the intention to fight with lethal force. It wasn’t just a robbery this time…it hasn’t _just been a robbery_ in a long time.”

“Look, Blake, there’s an ebb and flow to these sorts of things. Bad egg or not, if it wasn’t Adam, it’d be someone else. Radicals like him, well, they only crop up when something nasty goes on for too long. Failed social systems can only take you so far. Eventually, you have to take a look inside yourself. Some people see their faults, and they better themselves. Some people don’t, and that’s on them.”

Blake wasn’t content with that answer though, and it showed. “Someone should have done something. I missed the opportunity to reason with him, but he wasn’t always like this.”

“Hush now, Blake, it’s story time. Settle in, it gets complicated.” Tukson said as he refilled her mug and then his own. To his, he added just a dash of sugar, sipping it as he sighed. “Let’s see now, where to start? I suppose when you get right down to it, Ghira was a lot like Adam back in the day. Nothing Kali did could keep him placated for very long. For example, once he lost his temper at a human, and he beat the man bloody. Your mom, not one to put up with that level of bullshit, got so pissed off that she smacked Ghira for it…”

That brought Blake to pause. She couldn’t even think of her mother resorting to that sort of violence. It wasn’t that her mother couldn’t defend herself, it was merely that Kali Belladonna was the most devout pacifist that Blake knew. To think of the woman as willing to do harm to another person was just impossible to her. She couldn’t even fathom it. “My mom’s never raised her hand to anyone out of anger.”

“Oh, she did.” Tukson said adamantly. He remembered it vividly. “Surprised his aura right out of him and gave him a bloody lip.”

“Why would she do something like that?”

“It was a more violent time back then. Your mother had to hold her own with the best of us.” At this, Tukson stood up and looked inside one of the boxes he kept just behind his back register. It was a tiny thing, covered in a layer of dust and fit simply into his large palm. “In order to understand why Kali believes so heavily in peace, you need to understand the sort of world she grew up in. The tools we have now weren’t even at our disposal then. Tell me, what do you think these are?”

He slid the small box to her. Inside rested a remnant of that past. A gathering of a few small metal coins with the White Fang emblem on them. She looked at them, pored a few into her hand to thumb over their texture. “Coins with our old logo.”

Tukson nodded very slightly. “In a way. Before the White Fang was a movement with carefully thought out leadership, Blake, it was a crowd of angry hopefuls with so much to say and no one to hear it. The leaders were restless, teenagers and young adults, with more frustration than sense. These coins were our calling card. The loudest of us stood at the front of every rally, for better or worse, and Kali followed your dad everywhere.”

It was little more than a collection of dusty memories now. Tukson knew holding onto that past wasn’t exactly helpful to the Faunus. It wasn’t even helpful for him, but he had done so because back then, life was clear to him. Before he was a jaded man with a criminal record, he was just another face in the crowd. Sometimes, he liked it better that way. Shaking away the cobwebs building in his mind, he sighed.

“In any case, I’ll never forget that day when Kali really let Ghira have it. She knocked some sense into him before he could do any real harm to anyone. That’s the same day that Ghira found out she was pregnant with you. She didn’t want her child to be surrounded by people with so much hate and told him so. She threatened to leave him, much as it would pain her, if he didn’t change his ways. She knew he could do better, and she demanded it of him. No one had ever seen her so livid. She made him promise that he’d never lift a hand to anyone again, unless it was in self-defense.”

Blake looked down at the book in her hands trying to process that information and failing miserably. “Did he ever hurt anyone else?”

“Not unless he had to. He kept his word. Kali didn’t manage to shut him up though.” Tukson promised, hands lifted palm up in surrender before he collected the coins, and the box he kept them in. After he put them away, he returned to his seat. “Ghira was a gloriously loud mouthed bastard when you were a baby, but hell, the man got shit done. When he stopped raising his fist in anger, he had to start thinking with his head…using his words…he moved mountains and made things better for all of us. He’s damn well earned his place in Menagerie, you can believe that.”

“Yeah, but those were his accomplishments. I don’t see what any of that has to do with me.”

“That’s because you’re too young to get it, but you will, one day.” He said, pinching her ear and gently tugging it. It was an action that commanded submission, and moreover, to be listened to. “You want to make a difference? Make it. Get your nose out of those history books, read something else for a change. You do that, you’ll start filling your head with all sorts of nonsense. Hell, you might even find something else to believe in. You need that, we all do.”

* * *

What was she to do? She never spent any real time in school, not like she should have. While she was very smart and well-read, it was a luxury all children who grew up in the White Fang were afforded. That’s why so many families joined. Blake sighed, remembering sitting in a circle with other Faunus children her age, learning basic reading and mathematics, things that would help them survive the difficulties of life.

She also learned how to fight, another requirement of the White Fang, and one impressed upon her at a very early age.

She rolled over on the small and uncomfortable cot that Tukson had given her to use in his study. Staying at his apartment wasn’t the most glamorous thing in the world, but the hot shower had felt heavenly, and the fact that he had a kitchen made mealtime easy for her. It was these small little luxuries that seemed like a slice of heaven, and she wanted something like that for herself. No one would hire her though. She wasn’t eighteen yet, so full time employment anywhere was out of the question. As a Faunus, it was hard to find something with good wages, and even if she wanted to work, it would be hard to find even a simple job.

Not even Tucson, who knew her love of books, who protected her unquestionably, who even had a help wanted poster on his store window, would be willing to hire her.

He couldn’t, not with his connections in the White Fang running so deep. If they found out Tukson was keeping her in his home, things would be disastrous. She had to find a new place to stay. Billboards for Beacon Academy’s new enrollment were all over the city, the adverts easily recruiting young hopefuls for a chance to attend. At first, she brushed the idea aside and ignored it. She was done fighting for the sake of others. She had to fight for herself.

The very early spring eased into summer, and summer drifted into fall.

After all of that time, a small handful of months, she still had no job and no real way to support herself. After thinking long and hard, and failing to find a job at all, she reconsidered the idea. Maybe she should go to Beacon. Maybe she had to. It might be the only option she had, and to be honest, it lined up with her original goals. To be a voice for the Faunus, to make a difference somehow, someway.

On the day of the entrance exam, Blake sat down with a pen in hand and took the written exam. It was the same packet as everyone else, a slog of questions she had to hope she knew the answers for. Most of the time, she wasn’t entirely sure. She had no idea if she passed or not, but the headmaster had asked to meet with her, and now she could only hope his arrival would bring good news. Sleep came uneasily that night, and she worried about what might be another failure in her attempt at independence.

The next day, she met the professor at the bookshop. Formal introductions passed around easily enough, but when he began to explain the details of being a student, Blake felt lost and trapped once more.

“We don’t make a habit to deny any student that passes the written exam, so long as that student also has some measure of combat experience,” the headmaster of Beacon replied as he sat in the dusty back room of Tukson’s Book Trade, a shop he frequented for teaching supplies regarding Faunus history. “However, I do find it odd when a student attends without any support from their family.”

“They’re not here.” Blake said defensively. It was the third time the headmaster had asked and the third time Blake refused to tell him anything. She intended to keep it that way.

Tukson bit his lip. “Please don’t pressure her, sir. The matter is personal to her and complicated. If it’s about the tuition money, I can pay to put her through school. Isn’t my money good enough?”

“All money tends to be good money when it comes to entry fees.” Ozpin said with a chuckle. “However, I tend to find that parents don’t often desire to see their children uptake the rather dangerous task of hunting Grimm. Furthermore, women tend to face even more dangers in such fields. I don’t agree with misogyny in any capacity, but a huntress will face more opposition compared to her male counterparts. Huntsmen are often quite set in their ways. It’s rare to see someone wishing to uptake the trade unless it has run in the family’s history.”

“With all due respect, I’ll face opposition no matter what I do.” Blake pointed out. “I’m a Faunus, I’m used to it.”

“I see.” Ozpin sighed then. “Well, I won’t take your money, Tukson. It wouldn’t behoove me to do such a thing. Beacon has scholarship programs for this.” He then turned to Blake. “Fortunately for you, Miss Belladonna, your Faunus heritage alone is reason enough for such a scholarship. We at Beacon Academy wish to promote equality on campus, an ongoing endeavor, I assure you. However, finding the Faunus students to attend has been increasingly difficult for a multitude of reasons. Furthermore, the Grimm are growing in number and in force.”

“What would I have to do?” Blake asked.

“Well, normally we would look at your student records. However, you lack a formalized education from any of the majoring academies. You also seem to wield a very complicated looking weapon. There are entry battle-readiness exams students like yourself are forced to take. It’s a safety precaution, mind you. It would be deadly if you were to attend Beacon without being able to defend yourself.”

“I can fight Grimm, it’ll be easy to prove that.” Blake replied, her fingers reaching for her weapon. “Um, if it’s a demonstration you want, Professor, I’ll happily oblige. There’s not enough room here, though.”

“Indeed…” He reached into a briefcase he had sitting by his side, pulling out the paperwork. “If you wish to partake the combat exam, take these to one of our medical practitioners and have them fill out the details. Then you will meet with our combat instructor, Professor Glynda Goodwitch for a combat exam. You will find all pertinent information in the student handbook. Should you pass both medical and combat exams, you will join the rest of the entry level students for formal initiation.”

“What about the scholarship?” Blake said then. “Will it cover what I need?”

“Should you pass, provided you can maintain at least a three-point-five grade point average, Beacon Academy will take care of all of your academy related expenses. This will cover any purchases made at the campus shops, three full meals daily at the cafeteria, school uniform, learning supplies, on-site medical care, and dormitory expenses. Any expenditures beyond that, you will need to fill out a request form, which may be denied if it doesn’t fall into line with Academy policy.” Then, Ozpin adjusted his glasses. “Also, assigned missions provide small shares in payment. Many students choose to uptake them to earn spending money. Beacon Academy forbids any formal employment that we haven’t personally assigned.”

“Blake, I can simply pay the tuition fee.” Tukson said to her quietly. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I can fight.” Blake said honestly. “And if I can put myself through school doing that, then that’s what I’ll do. I’ll pass those tests, I can guarantee you that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project.
> 
> This chapter has been updated as of 4/6/2020


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There, that's four chapters so far. I think that'll be enough for one day. More chapters will be coming soon enough. Hope if you've made it this far, you're enjoying it.

**Searching for Sunlight** **  
****Arc I: What If?** **  
****Chapter IV**

If he had known better, he would have stayed in bed.

It all started in the afternoon, after Qrow came by the house completely drunk, regaling him of Yang’s newest bar fight that went awry. Then, a few hours later, he received an angry call from a personal contact about damages being done to his personal establishment, which was also a bar. It didn’t take long for Taiyang to put two and two together.

If that had been all he would have to deal with, Taiyang would count himself a lucky man, but luck wasn’t on his side today. Not in the slightest. His scroll buzzed at eight in the evening, just as he was cleaning up after dinner. The Beacon headmaster called to tell him that Ruby Rose would be escorted home late after she was done answering a few questions about a robbery she had managed to witness.

Taiyang expected such hijinks from Yang, but from Ruby? He couldn’t even begin to fathom the thought.

As a hunter, he knew being at the right place at the right time and taking the right action saved lives. As a concerned father, he could feel his head pounding. If Yang wasn’t setting bars on fire, Ruby was doling out vigilante justice. He never imagined he could have two incredibly gifted offspring with such a knack for finding trouble. “You see, this is your influence!” Taiyang shouted from the kitchen as he washed the dishes from dinner. “You’ve really put ideas into her head this time.”

“Ideas she already had, calm down. She’s fine, Oz has her.”

“My daughter was just in a street brawl!” Tai shouted across the house again before pausing and correcting himself. “The innocent one!”

“Innocent? You’re living in a fantasy land, Tai. That little shit is the furthest thing from innocent, we raised her.” Qrow got up and stumbled into the kitchen. “She’s fine. Alive and well. Likely getting bitched out by Goodwitch as we speak, so don’t worry so much.”

Taiyang turned to retort, glass plate in one hand and a towel in the other. “No teenage girl should be getting into fights with grown men.” He dropped the plate when the doorbell rang, towel fluttering over the shards as it was left forgotten.

Qrow rolled his eyes, ignoring the mess as he listened to Taiyang greet his little girl. “Thanks for bringing her home, Oz.”

“Don’t mention it.” Ozpin replied. “We have business here anyway.”

Taiyang blinked at this but nodded. “Ruby, go to your room, we’ll talk about this later.”

“Why am I being punished? I was just shopping.”

“I know.” He sighed. “I’m not mad or anything, I just…” He looked up at Ozpin and Glynda, two faculty members of Beacon Academy that he knew all too well. Ozpin was a crafty sort of person, and Glynda was strict and stringent as he could imagine in a teacher. He could only think of one reason as to why they were here. “Go to your room and read that magazine you got. This is hunter talk.”

“Actually, it’s academy talk.” Ozpin replied, leaning heavily on his cane. “I came to inform you personally that I’ve extended Miss Rose a personal invitation to Beacon Academy, all expenses paid, of course.”

Taiyang ignored the cursing from his fellow teammate as Qrow stalked off and out the back door. “You… _what?_ ”

“There was an incident at a local dust shop. Likely, it would have ended in civilian casualty if Miss Rose hadn’t valiantly stepped in when she did.” Glynda reported, stepping forward to explain properly. “The conflict was a bothersome one, the people in question willing to use lethal force. While I don’t openly applaud random acts of chaos occurring in the middle of a busy street, where anyone could have gotten hurt, it’s no question that your daughter did well in delaying time. I’m sure that wasn’t her goal at that precise moment, but beggars can’t be choosers.”

Rubbing his face, he sighed as he looked over at his youngest. “You have been spending far too much time with your uncle,” he growled before brushing away his annoyance. “Speaking of, he’s a half a bottle in, so you might want to find him before he breaks something.” As his daughter did as she was told, he looked to his guests.

“On it.” She grinned.

“Don’t spar!” He shouted after the red blur his daughter became, knowing that it was entirely futile. “So, can I offer you two anything?” He asked, the both of them declining as he collapsed onto his sofa. “Damn kids, always giving me a heart attack. Funny joke by the way, Ruby attending Beacon. Almost had me. Alright, lay it on me, what’s my mission?”

“There is no mission.” Ozpin replied as he pulled up a chair and sat down as well. “I have come on your daughter’s behalf. Glynda brought her in for questioning, and of course I simply had to meet her. I had to know who was responsible for teaching her to do combat with such a large and heavy weapon. It made sense when I found out she was Qrow’s student. She expressed her desire to attend Beacon, and I thought the request a fitting one.”

“No, absolutely not.”

Ozpin tented his fingers over his knees. “She seemed quite enthused over the idea. I don’t see any reason to deny her. Honestly, her little display was practical application of the finest order. Hardly what I would expect in someone so young.”

“And who do you think I should blame for that?” Taiyang groused. “Qrow’s a madman, I swear.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go quite that far.” Ozpin laughed. “His methods are strange though, I’ll give you that.”

“Yeah, like yours isn’t?” Taiyang shot back. “I can’t let her go to Beacon, she’s not ready for it. Besides, Yang will be enough to handle. You’ll have your hands full with her, I promise you that.”

“Tai, your daughter strikes me as a very ambitious person. She is very much like her mother, isn’t she?”

“What point are you trying to make here?”

“Only that I find her to be quite uncanny.”

“Oz,” Taiyang growled. “She’s fifteen…”

“Oh, this is ridiculous.” Glynda sighed at length. “Taiyang is right, you know. Ozpin, she’s too young.”

“Glynda, please,” the man beseeched, already feeling exhausted after such a long day. “We discussed this. I believe that she would make a fine student at the academy. If she were older, you would have given her a passing grade immediately in any possible field test.”

“I didn’t say that she wasn’t skillful. I said she was too young. In a few more years she won't be, and she could very easily attend then.” Glynda replied. “Beacon Academy is a place for critical thinking. It demands a particular level of maturity. We are not a mere combat school. We ask a great deal from our students. They stand on the cusp of adulthood because we train them to make adult decisions in a world far too morbid for anyone’s own good.”

She then began to pace back and forth before sighing at great length. “A fifteen year old girl, even a mature one, is still just a girl. Outside of the fact that our dormitories are co-ed, mentally prepared or not, physically she’s still growing. It’s bad enough that we take seventeen year olds in a kingdom that doesn’t legally accept a citizen as an adult until age eighteen. We argue semantics like the month they were born or graduating year, cutting it so close, it should be criminal…”

Finally she paused and turned to both men, her arms crossed. “To ask a fifteen year old to accept that same responsibility… No, that's lunacy. I cannot condone that, Ozpin.”

“Even if it is one she is willing to take? You would steal that agency from her, that freedom of choice?”

Taiyang cursed from under his breath. His head hurt, he was hungover, and he was tired. Ruby’s recent escapade only made his brain feel like soup. “I’m of two minds on this. If you put the time and effort into her, and really work with her, she’ll make it in her classes. The thing is, Ruby’s not too good with people. When those people are all older than her, you have to stop and think…can she work with them?” Taiyang shook his head. “She’s great solo, but Ruby has never been good at teamwork. She’s too shy.”

Ozpin nodded, understanding the implication. “Then, Beacon would be a fine place for her to learn, wouldn’t you say?”

Glynda objected once more. “Huntress-in-training or not, Miss Rose will be asked to do missions that could have her severely injured, or even killed. It’s an unfortunate fact. While we do what we can to mitigate any loss to life and limb, we cannot guarantee the safety of any student entering Beacon’s walls. You know this as well as I do, and she will have to work with a team. If she cannot do that, for her own safety, she should not attend.”

The silence that followed could have made a pin dropping sound like an explosion.

“That’s why I’m so against a person her age attending Beacon.” Glynda continued. “What moral standard do we set, allowing someone so young into our walls? What does this show to the other academies made for older students? Furthermore, what does this imply to schools such as Signal? Should they lower their admittance age to compensate as a result?” Glynda couldn’t even fathom that. “Some kingdoms have been wanting to lower the recruitment age for years, and this would set the precedent.”

“There’s an exception to every rule.” Ozpin stated. “You can’t put wide implications over the head of just one student.”

“In this case, the exception could very well lead to excuses as to why it should become the standard.” Glynda posed. “I might not be able to keep her from attending, but I can certainly be very vocal in my opposition of the idea, and I do oppose.”

“Noted.” Ozpin said dryly as he turned back to the blonde haired man. “Tai, we have never denied a student with strong parental support. Provided her abilities and grades hold up to basic academy standards, then the faculty at large shouldn’t have any complaints. Therefore, the question must remain in your hands. Will you allow Ruby Rose to attend Beacon Academy?”

“With the way you opened your big mouth?” The blonde man groused. “She’s wanted this for years. I can’t stop her now, unless you tell her you’ve made a mistake. Since you won’t do that, I don’t have much of a choice, now do I? Yes, she can attend Beacon, but this is on your head, Oz. Don’t make me regret this.”

* * *

No one said that raising children would be easy, but raising Raven’s daughter was an entirely different challenge. As Yang’s father, he felt it would be a huge mistake to try and force her to listen to reason. While he knew that many critics stated that you couldn’t be your child’s best friend and still parent effectively, he begged to differ. Then again, he could hardly call himself a perfect parent by any standard. He knew he fell short of everyone’s expectations, including his own, more often than not.

Still, for better or worse, he had never given up on Yang. In spite of all of the debt she put him into, he felt that there was something to be said for that. As he wrote another check that would cut deep into his pockets for years to come, he made peace with the wayward soul that sat beside him. He couldn’t deny the family resemblance on both sides, even if that meant she had her mother’s explosive temper.

Wordlessly, he slid the check to the side, the paper gliding across the polished wood of the bar.

Then he sipped on the liquid in his glass. Doing anything else would have him deeper in the bottle than he was already, and his promises to Yang were things he clung onto. She was his daughter, he owed her that much. He sat on the stool hunched over as he side-eyed her. “So you went and had a tantrum at Junior’s place,” he told her dryly, already well aware of what she had done. “Nice job kiddo, really fitting actions for a huntress entering Beacon.”

Yang rolled her eyes, her own drink in her hands, the bars around Patch unusually lax. Her fake I.D. not doing her any good as the bartender just slid a fruity mixed drink her way. The man had known her for years. She used to have her birthday parties in the establishment as a child. She thanked him for his generosity and took a sip. It was weaker than he would normally make it, just a dab of alcohol for flavor, but she sipped it quietly, tossing her long blonde mane over one shoulder.

“What, not going to say anything?” Her father asked.

“What do you want me to say?” She asked him after a few long moments dragged on between them.

“That you won’t let your anger get the better of you anymore.” Taiyang said. “But, I know that’s probably not a reasonable request. I don’t know what to say. Actually, when I sit down and really think about it, you’ve never had a very reasonable life. I won’t make excuses for that, but that means you can’t make excuses now, either. You’ll go far Yang, but not like this.”

The twangy music playing from the jukebox wasn’t her style, but she let her ears focus on it. On anything other than her dad’s scrutiny. She felt his eyes land on her heavily. For all of his faults, and he had a great many of them, he did his best with her. She considered that very truth as she thought about their surroundings. Having a heart to heart over a few drinks. It wasn’t the first time, she knew it probably wouldn’t be the last. “I was just asking around about something. It got out of hand, there was a bar brawl. It happens.”

“If that’s the story you’re sticking with, I suppose that’s fine.” He reached out, catching a stray lock of hair with his fingertips, brushing it behind her ear. “You’re not a baby, I can’t spoon feed you long lectures anymore. Even so, digging around where you don’t belong has consequences, Yang,” he told her seriously. “Remember that.”

“I know.”

“Do you?” He said with an uplifted brow. “It doesn’t look like it from here. If not, you’ll learn soon enough. Lucky for me, Beacon’s headmaster pulls the training wheels off. Unlucky for me, you’re as hard headed as they come. You’ll be fine, but so help me if you piss off that faculty. I’ll never hear the end of it. Be good, okay, and keep an eye on your sister.”

At this, Yang gave him a strange look, the same one she shot at him every time he had a little too much to drink. “You’re not really letting Ruby go to Beacon, are you?”

“What do you want me to do, chain her to a chair?” He chuckled at the mere thought. “She’s too fast, I’d never be able to catch her. Besides, Ozpin invited her, not much I can do now unless I want to disappoint her. Can’t let that happen, can I?”

“Well, yeah, I get that.” Yang sighed then. “But, I mean, she’s just a kid.”

“You’re both kids.” He told her. “My kids, and I worry about you. _Both_ of you.” He grabbed her wrist then, yanking on it hard enough to get her full attention. “Be careful when you go on missions. Don’t go wandering off alone…and _don’t_ blow up Junior’s place again. You keep your head low, and put your nose in your books, and do as you’re told, you got that?”

“Okay.” She pulled her hand away. “Could you maybe not freak out? I’ve been on missions before.”

“It’s different out there.” Taiyang could feel her annoyance, as though she felt looked down on again. It wasn’t the case, but he knew she would never believe that. “Signal keeps you kids close to home. You’re in a hunter’s line of sight almost all the time when you’re out wandering around. The girls with the girls, the boys with the boys. You don’t have a chance to get into any real trouble because we keep you close. You stay with us because we know the dangers. I know I raised you and Ruby in a wooded area surrounded with Grimm, but they’re no match for the bigger ones crawling around outside of Vale.”

“Right,” she said slowly. “Got it.”

“Doesn’t matter. Even if you don’t, you’ll get it soon enough.” Taiyang said, ordering himself another drink. “False bravado won’t do you any good at Beacon, Yang. Trust me…just stay safe, get your license, and then you can have as many bar fights as you want…at least then I won’t have to bail you out.”

“Well, you won’t have to, but you will.” Yang said with a smirk.

At that, he rolled his eyes and quipped, “Don’t I know it…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. This chapter has been updated as of 3/29/2020


	5. Chapter 5

**Searching for Sunlight** **  
** **Arc I: What If?** **  
** **Chapter V**

Nearing the end of summer vacation, Beacon Academy made the final preparations for the new students entering its halls. The faculty completed their lesson plans, Grimm were captured for the students to do battle with, and thousands of lien went to new learning materials. All in all, the faculty found themselves pleasantly surprised. Everything was going to plan so far. Soon, a very smooth start to the year would be underway. There was only one little matter of concern left.

How would the returning students from years prior settle their room assignments this year?

It was an interesting question, one that never failed to amuse most of the faculty, Ozpin included. He smirked behind his mug. The early arrivals knew how important it was to choose their places quickly. There were particular perks that came with being second year students and above. Several team leaders had already bombarded him for the privilege to partake of all of the amenities that Beacon Academy had to offer.

His careless remark to fight over the most pristine spots meant that for the next few hours, the dormitories would be a battleground. However, to Ozpin, it was the third and fourth year students that he found the most entertaining.

Although they had claimed their places earlier in the week with far more civility over the matter, they now defended their claimed areas in a fighting force that thrashed any opponent. Down on the main floor of the mission center, a battle royale was taking place near the mailboxes. Several teams were arguing over the ones with the most space for team deliveries. The second year students didn’t stand a chance in teams of four, not when the third and fourth year students understood the raw power in numbers and attacked in full units of eight or even sixteen.

“This whole practice is barbaric, Ozpin.” Glynda sighed with a shake of her head as one unfortunate young man collided with the stone wall, cracking it in several places. The man’s aura took a dive along with it. He didn’t stay down for long though, peeling himself from the rubble to join the fray once more. “Not to mention, messy.”

“Is that so? I find that a little good natured competition is good for the soul, and they seem to enjoy it too.” Though he said that and meant it, he had not accounted for second year team CFVY to begin leading their classmates in a full on assault for the mailroom itself. What had once been a disorganized group of flailing students became a reformed fighting force with enough dust to blow the whole building sky high.

That, he decided, could prove troublesome. “No crystalized dust!” He shouted across the warfare after seeing a cloud of red smoke puff out from one of the skirmishes. In answer to this, puffs of blue and yellow powder went flying across the room instead, and he chuckled softly at the display.

“I hardly see the humor.” Glynda sighed, pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. One unfortunate student very nearly collided into her, but she sidestepped that unfortunate soul just in time. A glance at the girl’s aura level indicated that she had hardly even felt her body make contact with the floor. She was up in an instant, diving down into the fistfight that had sent her flying to begin with. Instead of choosing to continue fighting however, the Faunus pulled out a camera, taking snapshots of the fights going on around her.

“Hmm. The second year students are a brazen bunch, not an ounce of fear. It will prove to be interesting…” Ozpin said to the woman beside him. “I fully expect at least triple the damages than years prior. We should reflect this in the bookkeeping.”

If looks could kill, he would have melted under her gaze in seconds. “I do hope you’re joking.”

A muted explosion and shouts of panic made even Ozpin jump in surprise. “No.” He said dryly, eyeing the red outline of residue clinging to the wall. “I don’t believe I am…” There was only one student he could even think to blame for that mess.

Grinning up at him as cockily as possible, Coco Adel waved. “What are you giving me that look for? You said no crystals, you didn’t say anything about dust infused gunpowder.”

“Touché.” He muttered to himself as she sauntered off to continue the hostile takeover. "None of that either, then."

That was just the sort of nuanced distinction that he expected a student like her to make. Even though red gunpowder was manufactured by the dust industry and worked hand-in-hand with ballistics, it was not the same thing as red dust itself. He lifted his mug to his lips, carefully considering that little detail. Red dust was more or less a household tool that hunters and huntresses manipulated in ways that were a perversion of nature. With new advances in the dust trade made every day, it wasn’t any question why slayers of Grimm fancied the tool for combat…

…Or why his students saw fit to use dust as a means of volatile confetti…

However, red gun powder, while even more volatile, was not the same thing as the refined dust in and of itself. It was stronger and much more deadly. Easy to combust on impact, making Coco's bullets even more deadly in comparison when it came to Grimm and a person's aura.

“Order the students to start toning it down, would you?” Glynda said, pushed a few buttons on the scroll she had extended to full size, monitoring the airships flying in from downtown Vale. “The first wave of first year attendees will be landing shortly. The last thing you want to do is frighten them away with all of this ruckus.”

Ozpin merely nodded, licking his lips thoughtfully, unhappy that his coffee had gone cold. “I suppose it is quite lively around here, isn’t it?” He partook his walking stick, extending it before placing his mug down to the side, forgotten. “Notify the staff that we shall give the students a few moments more before we begin to intervene. Remind Bartholomew to hold back a little. We don’t need him blowing any more holes into the dormitory’s structural integrity. I fear it will probably be mangled enough as it is.”

“That’s the problem with you lot, you can’t seem to show a little class.” Glynda sighed as she put the scroll away and deftly leapt up atop the guard railing. “Now then, if you’ll excuse me, I have an entire campus to mend back together in a timely manner.” With that, she descended down into the fray to deal with the rowdy students.

* * *

As a first year Beacon student, Weiss knew not to pine after the comforts of the rich and famous. She wouldn’t receive such creature comforts as her own personal bathroom or round the clock wait staff to tend to her every demand. Klein was no longer with her. She would not receive his kindness, meals would not be made to her specific order, and there were no maids to do her menial labor. She wasn’t a completely worthless socialite, she knew very basic things.

Sadly, she wasn’t entirely equipped to deal with the fact that Beacon was, first and foremost, a school for hunters and huntresses.

She looked down her nose at the many men and women gallivanting around in their sleepwear. Some of it much more questionable than others. A few men had little more than underwear on, and several of them forwent shirts. While she certainly understood the need to feel comfortable while sleeping, she was very appalled by the idea that the men and women weren’t separated. It was made worse when she realized that the first year dorms were part of the old building. They didn’t come equipped with privacy screens, meaning if she did have to dorm with one of them, there would be no way to partition her personal space.

Of course, Weiss had expected a particular level of quality from Beacon Academy and set her standards low to match it.

She assumed the food would be sub-standard for her well-developed sense of taste. She realistically understood that the beds would not be comfortable and that sacrificing comfort was part of the new life she accepted. The books would be hand-me-downs and the facilities used and abused by other students such as herself. Furthermore, she prepared herself for the unpleasantness of dealing with Faunus in close proximity and the frankly absurd notion that she might, in fact, be rooming with men.

What she did not expect, was that there would be a wealth of immature students flouting their way across Beacon. Even worse still, it seemed as though they wished to put a stain on her otherwise perfect student record. A long list of complaints had colored her day in a hue of disappointment and aggravation.

For a number of reasons that she didn’t dare try to understand, the universe had turned on her, biting her in the butt for choosing to come to Beacon Academy.

From a long travel to Vale to dealing with all of the red tape her arrival from Atlas provided, Weiss Schnee was exhausted on all fronts. Her day was made no easier by her fellow enrolling students. Several of them had been giving her grief for reasons unbeknownst to her.

The three most insulting of those unfortunate meetings stood in front of her now, bickering loudly enough to give her a headache. The smallest one of them had crashed into her. The one on the floor had the gull to downright insult her family. The last of the three had decided to interfere in what Weiss considered to be personal conflicts. All three of them now surrounded her, a trifecta of terrible.

The situation would only get worse, she decided. These girls only promised to make her time at Beacon one long headache after another. It even seemed as though no peace would be found during nighttime, either.

It happened so quickly that Weiss wasn’t sure quite what had happened. First she was meticulously studying the student handbook for the umpteenth time, and then she was rudely interrupted by the big blonde ox and the mousey little dolt that had become the center of her ire. In her anger, she had been exchanging words with them when the room went dark. The black haired woman sitting on the floor pointedly blowing out the candles and thusly the last bit of light that the room had to offer.

Not even the fractured moon could glow through the large glass windows, making everything as dark as pitch.

“And wasn’t that the epitome of maturity!” Weiss raged sarcastically before blinking in the darkness, trying to adjust her eyes for what little that they would. She couldn’t even see her hand in front of her face, let alone the woman sitting on the floor with the now cooling candelabra. She had no idea what that bookish woman was thinking, but her glare was trained ahead of her in hopes the woman could feel her outrage.

Someplace, not far away, the much taller blonde that had been making a ruckus began shuffling around.

“Ruby, you still there?”

“Yeah, right here.”

“Where’s here?”

It renewed the white haired woman’s ire. “Of all of the stupid things to do…” Weiss sighed. “You with the candles, whoever you are, I demand that you light them this instant!”

“It’s Blake,” the girl, Ruby, squeaked uneasily. “That’s her name.”

“I don’t care what her name is.” Weiss barked. “I demand that she lights those bloody candles.”

“Oh shut up and chillax before you hurt yourself.” Yang told her, the shuffling continued. “No sense in being all pissy over a few accidents. Ruby didn’t mean any harm…really, though, sis, where the heck are you?” Yang said she felt around for her little sister, finally managing to locate her shoulder. “Ah, gotcha. Well, it’s lights out, time to go to bed. Come on, Ruby.”

“I’m not done with you!” Weiss screeched.

“Yeah, you kind of are.” Yang shot back. “Not like we can see anything, no use fighting now. Save it for the combat class, I’ll snap you in half then.”

“We’ll see about that.” Weiss growled.

Yang laughed loudly. “It’s a date then, see ya, twiggles.”

“Twiggles…? TWIGGLES!? I’ll skewer you yet, you incompetent blundering ox!” Weiss bellowed before storming off, her bare feet slapping harshly on the marble floor.

“Yang,” Ruby sighed, barely managing to keep up with her older sister in the darkness. “You shouldn’t fight with people.”

“Self-defense is cool with the school, it’ll be fine.” Yang said, stumbling back into their cots. “Hey, uh, watch your feet, I think there are sleeping bags around here someplace. Don’t wanna trample people.”

“Yang-”

“Ruby, I said it’ll be fine, didn’t I?” Yang asked, prompting a nod that she couldn’t see. She knew her sister though, knew even those tiny, unspoken little cues. “We’re in the big leagues now, we’ve got to stand up for ourselves.”

“Yang, let go of me and use your semblance before we trip.” Ruby grumbled.

“Oh, right.” She let go of her sister. Punching her fists together made her semblance heat up, and with that heat came a firelike glow, hot to the touch. “I forgot about that. I’m so used to being back home.” She could see their spots just a little further away. “There’s our stuff.”

“Yeah, and the rule around Signal was no semblances in the school halls…or in the house…” Ruby said as she followed after her sister. “This is home now though, isn’t it? We can get away with using them, so long as we don’t try to break things, right?”

“I guess so.” Yang said slowly.

“Thinking about it, there’s no rules about semblances in Beacon. I wonder why that is?”

“It goes back to what I was saying before.” Yang said with a laugh as she sprawled out across her cot, looking at her sister in the fading glow of warmth that was Yang’s semblance. “We can’t go complaining to the teachers. In a school like Beacon they won’t do anything. We need to handle our own disputes, so fighting will probably happen. That’s just the way it’ll be. Teachers will probably watch the fights when they happen though, so don’t worry so much.”

“I still don’t think you should pick fights if you can avoid it.”

“Nope, I probably shouldn’t.” Yang said with a soft laugh as her semblance extinguished entirely, and the area around her went dark. “It’ll happen though, you know that. It’s just the way I am. Anyway, it’s not a big deal for you. I said don’t worry, and I mean that.” Yang told her, ruffling those short tresses of hair. “It’s time to crash out. We both need to get some sleep.”

“But-“

“Nope. Sleep.”

“Can you at least promise you won’t send that girl through the wall?”

“Sleeeeeeep.”

“Yaaannnggg.”

“Fine, I swear I won’t send the little snow princess through the wall.” Yang said with a sigh. “Are you happy now?”

Ruby paused, as if thinking about her answer. “Yes.”

* * *

A good night’s rest didn’t come for Blake Belladonna. Instead, she read an entire book cover to cover before sitting in the dark room. She couldn’t sleep. It was just another night with plenty to think about, and that kept her wide awake. She had passed her physical and her combat exam with flying colors, but now she was mingled in with a bunch of students. Most of them were human. As a cat Faunus, she was used to staying up late. Nocturnal tendencies and her vision made it hard to fall asleep sometimes. Even when she was little, she was enamored with the nighttime, keeping her mother up just to watch the stars.

Blake wasn’t sure when her desire for the darkness began or if it was just something intuitive in all cat Faunus. Some sort of strange calling that made them inclined towards the darkness of night. Either way, when her book was finished, she found herself feeling empty in a way that she wasn’t used to. Her time with Tukson had been a boring one. The only thing she could do was read, and in the loneliness of her choices, her books became her best friends.

Tukson was right though, it made her think about useless things.

Things that she hadn’t thought about since she was a child. They weren’t real, they could never be real. Bitterly, she considered that all of his talk about finding hope was just another lie in her life. Another false smile, uselessness. Maybe what she really needed was cold, hard reality. Ever so quietly, she got up, sneaking to the door before a wrist caught her hand and yanked her back inside.

“You’re not allowed to wander around campus at night. Lights out means you’re restricted to your floor, dorm room, and communal living space…or in this case, you don’t leave this room.”

“I didn’t realize you were in charge of me.”

“Upperclassmen are always in charge of the new students the first night they are brought in. We provide the extra security so that our professors can sleep,” the woman said as she stepped fully into view. “I’m a second year student, Velvet Scarlatina, member of team CFVY.”

Blake took a long look at the rabbit Faunus. “I just wanted to get some fresh air.”

Velvet shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t let you do that. May I ask your name?”

“Blake.”

“Well Blake, it’s a pleasure to meet you, but you really should try to relax.” Velvet replied with an easygoing smile, as if the expression might reassure her younger schoolmate. She blinked around in the darkness, checking on the students that were sleeping. “Initiation isn’t always easy. It’s like a mock mission. Being well rested is very important if you hope to succeed.”

Blake looked behind her. She could see all of the sleeping people in the cots. It was unsettling. She could hear the soft snores and quiet murmurs that drifted among the masses. It was reminiscent of her days in the White Fang. What was once a calming promise of protection among kin now only proved to be a threat. Humans and Faunus slept side by side, but she couldn’t help but feel as though the peace between them was fragile at best.

“I doubt I’ll be getting any sleep.” Blake said uneasily. “Not in there, anyway.”

Her ears twitched under her bow ever so slightly. She had considered taking it off, to refuse to wear it, but something stopped her as soon as she landed on campus. The sensitive realities of racism and social bias drifted in and out of every interaction she had made that day. The humans all thought her to be the same as them, lacking wider perceptions to know better. Her Faunus brethren considered her bow to be one of two things.

It was either a fashion statement or a way to hide her heritage. They tiptoed around her as a result. No one liked a self-hating Faunus.

Not a Faunus that denied her own race and attributes. At the risk that Blake might be such a person, almost all of the Faunus she had passed by avoided her. She didn’t even blame them, either.

She hadn’t made any friends, but she also wanted it that way. Distance, both emotional and physical, were safer things for her. It was better to be alone, plain and simple. Even with the somewhat tense undercurrent surrounding her, she would make do, or so it seemed.

“It’s Weiss Schnee, isn’t it?” Velvet asked.

“You know she’s here?”

“I think every Faunus does by now.” Velvet laughed then, shaking her head at the absurd rumors already floating around the Faunus population. “Contrary to popular belief, they’re not all bad people. I’ve had dealings with Winter Schnee in the past.”

“You have?” Blake was skeptical. She knew very little about Winter. However, there was one thing she did know. The eldest sibling was relentless in battle. There were murmurs about her all over in the White Fang, and what Blake had been told was frightening. “I never would have guessed that.”

“It’s true, odd as it may sound.” Velvet said again with a nod. “All of the academies work closely together. Last year I had the pleasure of meeting her. She’s fairly indifferent to anyone, Faunus or human.”

“The Schnee family can’t be trusted.” Blake said. “It’s people like them that hold us back.”

“I don’t disagree with you there.” Velvet looked into the room, eyeing the white haired first year in question. Weiss Schnee seemed sound asleep, but Velvet wasn’t entirely sure. She kept her voice even lower as a result. “Winter Schnee doesn’t agree with her family’s practices. She has flat out stated as much to Atlas Academy and Beacon Academy students alike. Even if you assume she’s lying about that, and really does hate us, she was nothing but professional during my dealings with her.”

“Really?”

“I can only assume she doesn’t mind Faunus in general.” Velvet told her. “She treated me the same way as any human she came across…although…”

“What did she do?” Blake asked, her assumptions telling her that it was likely the worst thing imaginable.

Velvet shook her head. “Don’t misunderstand, it wasn’t like she did anything to me, or anyone else for that matter.”

“I find that hard to believe…”

“Winter is very strict.” Velvet frowned. “She tends to use a fire where a spark will do. I don’t know if that’s because she’s unkind, or if that’s just the way she is. That’s not to say that a Schnee would choose to befriend a Faunus or anything. It’s just that I doubt they’d go out of their way to torment us.”

The meek Faunus began to toy with her fingers thoughtfully, looking down as if to study them in a moment of vanity. The image juxtaposed the scent wafting off of her, and Blake found the entire sight amusing as the upperclassman struggled to keep her confidence. That smirk fell as Blake realized why Velvet seemed so tense. The rabbit Faunus was defending a Schnee. That was a good reason to get mistreated.

There were people who would justify malicious acts of violence for less. Blake knew, she had seen it several times before.

Blake didn’t agree with Velvet, but if she lashed out, what had she changed about herself? That question burned deep under her cool exterior. She didn’t want people to be afraid of her. Most certainly not a well-meaning chaperone that probably didn’t have a choice in the matter. “My dealings with that girl so far have been unpleasant, to say the least. I think you’re right though. I think that’s more her personality than her desire to make our lives miserable. Then again, she’s not exactly contributing to a solution, either.”

“It doesn’t matter, you’re both Beacon students now. You have to learn to get along.” Velvet replied, an almost distant disgust in her voice. Something old and dusty gripping her attention, as if a memory had been left stagnating between her words. “Tomorrow, you’ll be facing initiation together. You might even have to fight side by side as comrades. If that happens, you’ll have to trust her. A lot of the time, you don’t really have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice.” Blake said sternly. If her life had taught her anything, it was that. “And if I decide to trust her or not, that’ll be something I decide for myself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. This chapter has been updated as of 3/31/2020


	6. Chapter 6

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc I: What If?** **  
** **Chapter VI**

The proper school week could not begin in earnest until the first year students were sorted out into teams. What the youths didn’t know was that it was an entire school wide event. The reasons for this were a vast many, but safety sat as the primary factor. Emerald Forest came complete with several geographical formations that first year students simply weren’t equipped to handle. Couple that with packs of Grimm that traveled along migratory routes in massive numbers, it was a deadly time of year.

Besides that, students were still students, and repetition was the core of any properly understood subject. Staying in the Emerald Forest for a solid length of time provided a good refresher for teams that had probably spent the summer months back home with their families. Murmurs moved like a wave through the students. With incoming underclassmen such as Weiss Schnee, Pyrrha Nikos, and the apparent prodigy known as Ruby Rose, the second year students were eager to see the initiation for themselves.

In front of the mass stood the undisputed team CFVY, the powerhouse of their peers. With ludicrous amounts of money, unmitigated physical power, and two skilled fighters able to fight even in low light, it stood to reason why CFVY topped the class rosters when it came to combat. They weren’t slouches in the classroom either, and although none of them took the top spots, being in the top ten was hardly an insult to their intellect. The fact that they seemed unperturbed by all of the ruckus only made their peers even more excited.

“Good morning, and welcome to another fine year here at Beacon Academy. It pleases me to see so many of you with fire in your blood.” Professor Port said, standing on a few crates so that he could see all of his fine young students. “Your mission today is rather simple. Today is initiation for our new enrolling students. As I’m sure you are aware, venturing away from the kingdom at all is rather perilous for students of their current expertise… Or lack thereof.” At this, Professor Port cleared his throat. “In any event, your job is merely to spectate unseen and unheard. Follow the newcomers and intervene only if the situation truly becomes dire.”

“Yo, can we get some clarification on that?” Coco Adel asked as she pulled on her black leather gloves. “What kind of situation are we talking about here?”

Port smiled gently at the second year students under his command. Several of them were exhausted, having stayed up all night. Team CFVY had always taken missions under his command, for reasons unbeknownst to even the man himself. He had grown quite fond of the four of them and their casual way of addressing him. They trusted him without any shadow of a doubt, and he took great levels of pride in that. “Intervene only after a student has been incapacitated, not a moment before.”

“He is going to give the whole you will die speech again, isn’t he?” Coco muttered humorously.

“Of course he will.” Professor Port told them. “He always does, and as you know it is no idle threat. The area is teaming with Grimm during this time of year. Still, we must try to mitigate casualties, and that task falls to you.”

“What about med packs?” Velvet asked, having wondered why she hadn’t been issued one.

“Beacon must work together to ensure the livelihood of these candidates. Second year students aren’t yet masters in the art of field medicine, you are best utilized as mercenaries against native Grimm. Fourth year teams under the command of Professor Peach will handle the evacuation of anyone critically wounded.” Then, he looked up and down his line of students. “Communication with your team and the Beacon faculty will remain your utmost concern.”

Coco could only smirk at that. She expected something a bit more difficult. In fact, something told her that this was an evaluation, and they were all being graded. It was just like her professor to get bored and make a pop quiz out of this whole event. “Fine by me, but what’s the perimeter look like?”

“The map has been issued to your scroll.” Port replied. “Third year students are now guarding the perimeter, just in case someone strays too far. However, their only focus is to keep new Grimm from invading and to keep new students from leaving the perimeter we’ve marked. Any more questions?”

He waited, hearing the murmuring of students before it died to silence. He nodded, satisfied. “Wonderful. I’ll leave team leaders in charge of how you shall disperse. Work together, and keep yourselves, as well as the newcomers, from getting killed. You are dismissed.”

“You heard him guys, let’s move out.” Coco said as she began walking, her team falling into formation exactly as she demanded. Fox flanked her right side just a few paces behind her while Velvet did the same on her left. Yatsuhashi, the tallest of the three, followed in the back, just a few paces behind Velvet and Fox. While all of the other teams ran by to search for a destination, Coco took a more relaxed approach, surveying her surroundings.

“Coco.” It was only her name and little more, but the dark skinned man wasn’t one for many words. He let his actions do the talking, something he knew that his team leader appreciated. “You good?”

She was quiet at first, the only hint that she even heard her partner was the slightest tilt of her head. It didn’t matter, he could see such subtle movements anyway. The mostly blind man could only see huge objects or flailing overtures, neither of which Coco was keen to provide. Instead, she stayed completely still as she continued to look around. “Pop quiz, Fox… He’s checking to see where we’ll choose to spectate from. Likely wants a report of why we chose that spot later… It’s just like him to want that kind of detail.”

“Well, yeah, I got that,” he shot back. His feet scraped loudly on the ground as he turned a bit. “What do you want us to do?”

“Nevermore hatchlings have just left the nest… Smaller ones are migrating to warmer climates…” She said, speaking mostly to herself. “Hibernating Grimm are out in force, that means Ursa are probably everywhere. We’re an auditory based team, always have been, always will be.” Coco finished softly before turning to her team. She knew now what orders she wanted to give. “Let everyone else deal with Grimm wandering around in the forests. We have better places to be.”

“She’s got that grin again, Fox.” Velvet sighed.

“You know it, babe.” She fished out a piece of gum from her pocket, a far cry from what she actually wanted, but it would have to do. “Death Stalkers breed about this time of year. They’ve probably laid their eggs by now and have burrowed in to protect them. The way I see it, we should probably go make sure no one goes and pisses any of them off.”

“You don’t think someone’s actually stupid enough to go into one of those dens, do you?” Fox asked as he heard his leader start to walk again. He easily kept her pace, ears trained onto her as he followed her footsteps.

“I think if not, it’ll be the laziest mission we’ve ever been on.” Coco replied, leading her team towards the mountainous region where the Death Stalkers made their dens.

* * *

A loud electronic bell chimed bright and early. It was six in the morning when students were rudely awakened, but many sleepers simply just rolled over and ignored the noise. The implication of peace didn’t last long though, as one particularly spunky redhead started bouncing around the room. A chant on the tip of her tongue causing all who it disturbed to groan in aggravation.

“It’s morning!” The girl said for the umpteenth time in the last few seconds, seemingly trying to get the attention of one man in particular.

While the girl succeeded in waking her companion, she also succeeded in driving away the rest of the sleepers late to rise. Her male counterpart wasn’t exactly shocked by the disgusted looks tossed their way. Instead, he took the early morning crankiness for what it was and stifled his own yawn. After all, it wasn’t the first time the woman disturbed the peace, and it wouldn’t be the last by far. He allowed her to ramble as he rubbed at his eyes and swigged from his canister of drinking water. Noting that the air was particularly dry, he grabbed a small satchel of hygienic supplies to begin his day.

Just like most of the tired and disgruntled students, he headed for the bathrooms to splash water on his face. His companion followed after him in her blissfully cheery mood. Some might have found her ruckus genuinely offensive, but he couldn’t be anything other than amused at her. He brushed his teeth, idly reminding her to do the same. She babbled on through that  too  and the ensuing breakfast.

Her excitable nature got the better of her in the lunchroom as most of her meal was left forgotten.

Several pancakes, her absolute favorite meal to ever exist, seemed to not hold her attention in the way it usually did. Instead, she spoke at length about sloths, the initiation, and being on the same team. All three of those things being prioritized over the meal that she would have defended tooth and nail almost any other time. He said nothing to any of it, merely letting the girl tire herself out on her own.

He knew she would, eventually.

Of course, even in spite of his own calm and collected nature, he couldn’t speak the same for the students surrounding them. Once again, she drove them away with her exuberance. Possible friends, perhaps even teammates, easily disgusted away by the woman’s overzealous nature. He understood their ire of course, even if he didn’t share in it himself. After all, his good friend could be a handful on even her most relaxed days.

To combat the murderous looks being sent their way in the lunchroom, he suggested going to the lockers to do a final check on their weapons. Even here though, she was obnoxiously loud. Too loud for her own good, and he finally interrupted her tirade. Simply telling her that sloths were quiet seemed to give her a factoid to chew on. They worked in relative peace after that but only for a short time. Soon her weapon was ready to use, and her attention could be placed elsewhere once more.

“Where do we have to go now, Ren?” Nora asked as she put the finishing touches on her weapon before folding it away. “Do we meet the teachers some place? Oh, do they meet us someplace? I wish I would have looked at the bulletin board.”

“Now, we wait,” he replied placidly.

“That’s it?” She seemed defeated, almost as if the sky might fall, further proving how worried she actually was.

“Yes, that’s all we have to do for now.” Ren replied once more.

His own weapons were carefully maintained and remained at his side at all times. Much unlike Nora’s heavy handed approach, he chose subtly over grandiose efforts. Still, it didn’t stop him from running his hands over the sleeves of his garment to ensure his gear was properly in place. The moment that he couldn’t pull his weaponry from their hidden place was the moment a Grimm could get a few lucky shots in. He wasn’t about to let that happen.

“Waiting is just so boring though.” Nora lamented.

He nodded, noticing her twitchiness and merely smiled gently. “I’m sure that it won’t be long now. Just a little longer.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Then, as if an idea struck her, she grinned at him. “Oh, I know. Let’s go grab some snacks at the vending machine while we wait.” She no sooner suggested it that she began to skip off in search of one such machine, Ren following closely behind.

If only everyone could have such a positive outlook, then perhaps the open locker spaces wouldn’t be such a hostile environment. Ren only spared a passing glance to the two small fights that were on the verge of a breakout, neither of them particularly interesting to him. He disregarded both matters entirely, stepping out of the nearest door to follow after his good friend.

* * *

Yang Xiao Long bit her lower lip as she felt the onset of an emotional breakdown on her hands. Ruby was more than ready to hide behind her big sister, this she could tell. Yang had been trying to gently sway Ruby from this mindset since arriving, but it had proved fruitless each and every time. Knowing that Ruby was not the sort to do well with others was also a factor. One that Yang knew she couldn’t exactly accept anymore.

It was one thing at Signal, when being the big sister also meant being a few years ahead of the girl. Thus a few years more powerful in the eyes of Ruby’s bullies.

Now it wasn’t the case, and although Yang would always protect Ruby, she had to let the girl suffer her own bumps and bruises every now and then too. If gentle hints wouldn’t work, then Yang was forced to be blunt and honest. Both of those things would only serve to upset her sister further, and Yang really didn’t want to do that. Finally though, Ruby started fighting back, and Yang could feel her own temper slowly rising as a result.

“You know what, sis? You’re right.” Yang said as she cocked one hip to the side, resting a hand there in the generally cocky way that she did when she was looking for a good showdown. “This is completely ridiculous. You’re fifteen, getting the chance to live out your dreams… You’re basically like a prodigy or something. You don’t seem to care though. Here you are trying to cling onto me like a little baby.”

“That’s totally not it!” Ruby raged in her usual manner, stomping one foot forward. If looks could kill, Yang would have died several times over. However, Ruby’s glare was one that was hardly intimidating by any standard.

“Except that it is.” Yang sighed at length. Really, Ruby was a harmless ball of adorableness, but she was quick to go on the defensive too, something that wouldn’t help her succeed on this day. Yang needed to give her the reality check the girl obviously needed. “You know, I thought having you in the same grade with me was going to be awesome. The thing is, it’s not going to be cool at all if I’ve got to be your babysitter the entire time I’m here. In fact, that’s going to majorly suck some ass. It will probably pull our grades down too.”

“Why are you talking down to me all of a sudden?” Ruby shot back. “You were all about me coming to Beacon yesterday. You were all excited and everything, and now you’re acting like this.”

“If you’re going to act like a baby, I’m going to treat you like a baby.” Yang shrugged, flipping some of her wild mane out of her way. “Look, I get it. Uncle Qrow was the one who really trained you and got you up to speed. You got used to his style and his way of thinking. He’s a loner who knows Grimm inside and out, and that’s a great place to start. That’s the problem. It’s  _ only _ a start.”

Hurt and affronted, Ruby could only glare. “I don’t even know what you mean by that.”

“Well, that’s why we’re in Beacon. We’re right here in the same school our family went to, probably just as clueless as they were.” Yang said. “We’ve got new teachers now, new classmates, and a new dorm without a housemom in charge. Hell, it’s even co-ed! Everything is completely new here.”

“Then you should understand why I’m a little freaked out, Yang!”

“You think I’m not?” Yang blinked, eyes turning fire red before another blink changed them back to lilac. She forced out a harsh breath as she slumped down onto the bench directly behind her. “I know you think that I’ve got it easy, but you’re way wrong. Dad’s not around to tell us what to do, we’re on our own. This is my initiation day too. I’ve got to figure this stuff out just like you do. I thought maybe I could rely on you to carry some of the weight, make it better and less stressful for both of us… You know, so we could figure it out together.”

“That is what I want to do…” Ruby rebuked. “That’s what I’ve been saying from the start.”

“Then don’t look at me like I know the answer to everything…” Yang shot back. “Because I don’t. If you need to ask me about homework, or girl stuff, or get into a problem with somebody, I know what to do about that. I can probably figure that out…but Beacon stuff?  _ Team stuff _ ? Those are things you need to start learning on your own. I can’t help you with that here. I’m just as new as you are, and newsflash, just because a few of my friends are here at Beacon doesn’t mean I have a team lined up. It doesn’t work like that.”

A loud crash drew their attention as a boy sat pinned to the wall.

“Annnd there goes Jaune…” Ruby muttered to herself, just loud enough that Yang caught wind of it.

“There you see, there’s a guy just as socially awkward as you are. At least he’s trying to make friends.” Taking a better look at the two women he had been trying to befriend, she felt the irony sinking in. “Bad choices though, if you ask me.” She looked to her sister and then back to the boy that had been vomiting into a trashcan the day prior. She doubted a guy who dressed in a fluffy onesie was the sort of person to bully or hit on her little sister. Rolling it around in her mind, she came to a snap decision and smirked. “Alright then, might as well be two peas in a pod. Ruby, make like Zewi and fetch.”

“Yang…no…”

“What? Don’t look at me that way. He’s completely harmless. He’s probably really sweet too. You guys are just made to be best buddies,” she said, giving her sister a pointed shove in his direction. “Go get him, hurry before the celebrities start making googly eyes.”

_ “Would all first year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation… Again, all first year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately.” _

* * *

Coco idly checked her watch, noting that it was about ten in the morning. The loudspeaker had gone off a while ago, and their scrolls had buzzed with a message to begin final preparations. Having already hunkered down in their chosen spot, Coco and Velvet waited eagerly for the first year students to be released into their first piece of Beacon mayhem.

“And they’re off.” Coco laughed as a few of the first year students began to get flung off Beacon Cliff. “Some of them are really flying far too.” She reclined back in the tree she was sitting in, nibbling idly on the apple in her palm. It was a hard earned victory, climbing the tree in heels just to get the best vantage point. Now, she was glad she had. Directly in front of her were several entrances to Death Stalker burrows. By her side, her partner and lover nibbled on her own apple.

Yatsuhashi and Fox were stationed on the far side, where even more Death Stalkers had probably laid eggs.

“I don’t know why they do that every year.” Velvet sighed, one of her long ears twitching as it tapped against one of the branches overhead. “There’s always someone who doesn’t know how to land a fall.”

“Well, either he’ll face-plant, or someone will catch him.” Coco said with a smirk. “Looks like he’s headed our way.”

“Falling like a rock too.” Velvet noticed, taking another bite of her apple. “Shouldn’t someone go get him?”

“If he has a brain, he’ll activate his aura.” Coco shrugged, slinging an arm around Velvet to keep her close. “I actually can’t believe this. We’re babysitting a bunch of first years, talk about uneventful. This is almost as boring as those border patrol missions Port drags us on when he has nothing better to do.”

“It was an insightful summer though.” Velvet laughed. “You have to admit that, at least.”

“Could have done without the camping out for eight weeks, but we did have our own tent, so it wasn’t so bad.” Coco said, keeping her eye on the falling human stone. Someone had cast something at him from the tree line, slamming him full force into the trunk of a particularly thick maple tree. “Huh, looks to me like he’s found his teammate…”

“I wonder who it was that sent their weapon flying like that.” Velvet asked, pulling the binoculars from around her neck to get a closer look. “I don’t know where it come from exactly, so I can’t get a visual.”

“Whoever tossed it will have to go get it.” Coco said, rather uncaringly at that. She was more invested in making sure everyone else seemed to be ready to hit the ground safely. “Keep your eye trained on the dude. Make sure he hasn’t been hurt.”

“Well, he’s certainly pinned…” Velvet paused, fidgeting with a knob to bring everything into focus. “Looks like he’s being held up by his shirt.”

“Good aim or lucky shot then.” Coco noted. “He won’t be able to fight like that, I’m guessing.”

“Not with the way he’s struggling.” Velvet perked her ears. She could hear his yelling in the distance. “He’s calling for help. Should I go get him?”

“Professor Port said not to intervene. Someone will have to go and get him sooner or later.”

So the duo waited. The moments ticking by in relatively comfortable silence. They nibbled on their apples, picking a few more from the tree as they idled away the time. There was gunfire in the distance, someone likely doing battle with Grimm. Velvet didn’t let her gaze stray from the poor blonde man pinned to the tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. This chapter has been updated as of 3/31/2020


	7. Chapter 7

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc I: What If** **  
** **Chapter VII**

The crack of dust firing off was louder than gunshots when it made enough contact with something. Velvet and Coco could hear it from their position, both of them immediately in search of where the sound had come from. From their vantage point, it took a little time before Velvet caught sight of it, her breath catching. A swirl of smoke rising up from one of the small clearings among the trees.

“It’s a fire,” she noted quickly, climbing higher up in the tree, looking into the distance.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t look very big…” Coco noticed; she took off her shades to get a better look. “Well, bigger than it should be.” After seeing for herself, she placed them back on her face and hesitated. “Probably just a few Grimm picking a fight with the wrong person.”

“You might want to report it, just in case…” Velvet said, pointing to the sky, where the black smoke began to billow from the forest.

“I hate it when you’re right, but I’m sure the newbies can handle it.” Coco said with a lopsided smirk. “Besides, I only just got comfy.”

“It might be a fire that’s not contained.” Velvet protested. “That could cause a huge mess.”

“Well, I’ll give you that at least. Let’s see, just in front of Beacon Cliff, I think that section belongs to Goodwitch.” Coco pulled out her scroll and connected it to the open communication line. “This is Coco Adel, reporting what looks to be a fire about two klicks out from Beacon Cliff. We’re not anywhere near it, can one of the teachers get a drone visual?”

“I have my eye on it, Miss Adel.” Glynda Goodwitch said not a moment later. “The disturbance is indeed a fire. A result from a skirmish with Grimm. Both students are fine, and fourth year students in the area have been dispatched to put the fire out. There is no action from you required.”

“Understood.” Coco said, exiting the communication feed and pocketing her scroll. “See? They’ve got it taken care of.”

Pink tongue ever so lightly sticking out to wet her lips, Velvet sent her leader and lover a prolonged, annoyed glance. “It’s a good thing you’re only my leader and not my combat partner.”

“What, tired of dealing with me already?” Coco asked, her smirk softening as she leaned forward.

“When you act this cocky, you can be hard to deal with.” Velvet said; the concern in her voice outweighed the harshness of her words. It was a brutal truth, honest in every single way it could be. “The Coco Adel I know and love isn’t like this. She is a very, confident woman… Right up until she isn’t.”

“Damn, can’t slip anything past you, can I, bun-bun?”

“Coco…” Velvet growled, which in the leader’s personal opinion was more cute than threatening. The rabbit Faunus lowered herself to Coco’s branch, taking a seat and plucking a few wayward leaves that clung to her fur covered ears. “Something’s knocking around your head, and I have to admit, I’m curious as to what that could be.”

“It’s nothing major, just the second year jitters.” Coco finally admitted. “I’ve already been briefed about a few assignments coming up. It could be messy. A couple of them are bad enough that they’re sending out teachers as escorts. Missions like that either mean two things: being away from civilization for long stretches of time or disturbances in areas with huge amounts of Grimm activity… Honestly, I don’t know which is worse.”

“We’ll just take the ones under Port like we did last year.” Velvet said simply. “He’s never intentionally put us into harm’s way. At least not harm we wouldn’t have found ourselves, anyway.”

“He advised me not to do that, actually.” Coco murmured. “Ultimately, it’s my choice as the team leader what missions we undertake. Since we normally followed him around last year, I figured that would be a good idea. He pulled all team leaders from last year aside and told us he’s been reassigned.”

“He’s not going on one of his insane fishing expeditions again, is he?” Velvet asked.

“Didn’t take a liking to the sun, surf, and sand, huh?” Coco said humorously, only to earn an unhappy glare in return.

“My extreme dislike of deep water is notwithstanding. I find that following his adventures on land to be harrowing enough without being trapped on a tiny fishing boat that nearly capsized.” Reflexively, she reached for one of her long ears, recalling the swimmers cap she had to wear to keep the sea water out of her ears. It was uncomfortable, to say the least.

“Well, true,” Coco smirked. “But you have to admit, it made for a great story to write home about.” Coco’s smile lessened into something tender. It was perhaps even just a smidgen fragile. “Port’s headed to more infested areas this year. Oobleck too. Neither one of them could commit to anything specifically. Port told us that if we want our teams safe, we’d take the missions under the command of Goodwitch and Peach. They don’t stray far from Vale. It’s local and safer.”

Velvet nodded slowly. “Somehow, I get the feeling that you still requested Professor Port’s missions as a first opportunity.”

“And you’d be right. Professor Oobleck I placed as the second opportunity.” Coco said softly. “Port and Oobleck are masters of their craft, but more than that, I trust them. They both take risks sometimes, but if we get into a sticky situation, they’re the first people to jump into the mess of things. Goodwitch seems almost too by the book to be completely trustworthy… As for Peach? Come on, we’re not babies. We don’t need our hands held while we collect tree sap.”

Velvet nodded. “But you take Professor Port at his word, so if he says it’s dangerous, there’s no question about it.”

“Long and dangerous is a really bad combination. I just don’t want anyone getting hurt. Port will put faith in us because that’s just the kind of guy he is, but this isn’t going to be like last year. I can already feel the weight of it on my shoulders. So, if it seems like I’ve got a stick up my ass, it’s probably because I do.”

Velvet cuddled into Coco, her head falling onto the woman’s shoulder. The thick tree branch swaying as they moved to get more comfortable. “I think you made the right choice. If you ask the boys, I’m sure they’ll say the same thing too.”

“I know, babe.” Coco murmured, leaning in to kiss her girlfriend on the cheek. “It still doesn’t make anything any easier though.”

* * *

Although the spectating second year students would have stories of their own to tell, the initiates were sure to remember things differently. That was certainly the case for Blake Belladonna. When she landed on her feet, she had already discerned who she intended her partner to be. Now, it was just a matter of finding the woman and doing it fast.

She knew she couldn’t be too far away, she could hear the racket that Yang was producing in order to find a partner. Blake simply had to follow the noise. She began to do just that, careful to keep out of sight just in case anyone else happened to be nearby. The girl was the most obvious choice. Unlike most humans Blake had come across, Yang didn’t seem duplicitous, and she also didn’t seem the sort to care about politics or social issues.

The blonde openly spoke her mind, uncaring of anyone who might be upset by her words. Perhaps it was because she wasn’t trying to be hurtful in the first place, but Blake couldn’t be entirely sure of that. She couldn’t be sure of anyone. Either way, Yang was an easy person to read at a glance, and that surface level honesty was something Blake knew she desperately needed. Although, at the end of the day, there was one glaring problem.

Yang was a human, not a Faunus.

Once again, Blake forced herself to pull back from her fears and her defensive nature. Her time in the White Fang had given her a certain perspective of humans, none of it good. In her time of hiding among the humans, many of them simply weren’t keen on proving her assumptions wrong. Most of them openly hated Faunus, and those that didn’t were afraid of them. The White Fang was to blame for most of it, but that wasn’t an excuse for the humans and their bigotry.

Blake’s gut instinct told her that Yang was different somehow.

That the blonde really wasn’t trying to prove herself to anyone or trying to really gain anything. She was too carefree, too unguarded, to have some sort of ass-backwards plan. There was no manipulation in her way of thinking… In fact, if anything, Blake knew she was the one with an agenda. She was the one capable of doing severe damage, even accidentally. By keeping both Yang and Ruby at arm’s length, she hadn’t done anything but hurt them.

They were both probably harmless humans, at least when it came to encountering Faunus. Even suspecting that hadn’t stopped her from pushing them away the night before.

Amber eyes focused on the Grimm that Yang had been pummeling. Once again, her obviously easy to provoke temper showed through. It was the one thing to hold Blake back but not for long. Bad attitudes were in Blake’s wheelhouse, she knew exactly how to deal with those. Yang even seemed predictable, something Blake’s other partner hadn’t been. The Faunus wasn’t impressed by the fiery displays and rather they didn’t happen at all. Yet it was all subjective.

So long as Yang didn’t actually hurt people, she could put up with the blonde woman’s explosive temper. Blake’s choice made, she jumped down into the fight, deftly slaying the last of the Ursa that Yang had been doing battle with.

“I could have taken him.” Yang said, returning Blake’s smirk with one of her own. A few paces forward were enough for Yang to extend her hand. “Blake, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” The handshake was firm but ended quickly. She put the distance between them again, seeking her personal space.

“Partners for the rest of our stay in Beacon. It should be an exciting time, right?”

Blake ignored the kindly worded question. Instead, she clung to her assigned task. “We can’t linger. The artifacts shouldn’t be too far away. We need to collect one, and get out of this forest.”

“What, no small talk?”

“On a mission?” Blake lifted her brow.

At this, Yang just chuckled casually. “We have to pass the time somehow, right?”

“You have a tendency to be loud. We’d attract Grimm.” Blake pointed out. She wondered just where this Yang had come from. She was so completely clueless and bubbly about everything. It just seemed off, somehow. “I don’t know where you grew up, but from where I come from, it’s not common to chatter aimlessly while completing a mission objective. Pertinent information exchanges only.”

“Uh huh…” Yang shrugged, seemingly satisfied with Blake’s answer. “Well, okay. If that’s how you want to do it…”

“That is the most effective method.” Blake returned idly. “We really shouldn’t be out here any longer than we need to be.”

“Cool by me, we’ll just… uh, talk over dinner… or something…”

Blake kept her amusement over Yang’s awkwardness hidden, very pleased that the blond was actually willing to stay focused. Blake concentrated then, straining her ears under her bow. She was listening in on the commotion she could faintly hear in the distance. If she followed that sound, they would more than likely meet up with more classmates. That could lead them to the artifacts in question. If nothing else, it put them in the path of more comrades, and things were safer in numbers.

“It’s this way.” Blake said. “Come on.”

Yang followed after Blake quietly. They made their way through the forest at a leisurely pace. The silence was strangely comfortable, in spite of the exchange they shared the night before. She felt a twinge of guilt for looking down on the bookish girl. In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the best way to move forward as partners. She half considered brushing the whole ordeal under the rug, but that really wasn’t her style.

An apology would be best. “Uh, Blake….” Yang started awkwardly, wondering how best to go about it. “About last night…”

“What about last night?” The girl quipped not even sparing a glance towards Yang as she kept walking.

“It doesn’t bother you?” Yang asked. “That thing I said?”

“People say a lot of things.” Blake mentioned, her tone of voice gentle in its monotone.

“Blake, please just hold up a sec.” Yang begged, reaching forward to grab the girl’s shoulder. A desperate attempt to make eye contact once more failed. Blake rolled her shoulder backwards and pulled away.

“Don’t touch me out of nowhere like that.” Blake warned, her other hand braced over the hilt of her weapon. “If I have no idea it’s you, I might retaliate.”

“Sorry…I…shit, yeah, I should have thought of that.” Yang bit the inside of her cheek as the full weight of Blake’s request hit her. She  _ should have known _ that. Blake was a student too. The girl was probably able to accidentally hurt her. They were in the woods surrounded by Grimm, anything could happen. Blake was keen to keep walking, so Yang was resigned to speak her mind while on the move. “Look, about yesterday, when I said that you were a lost cause, I didn’t mean that.”

“Then, what  _ did _ you mean?”

“Uh… That’s…” Yang knew there wasn’t really an excuse for her behavior. Sure, she had been a little ticked off at the time, but how could she properly explain her reasoning to a complete and total stranger? She sighed, realizing she’d have to try. “That’s actually really hard to explain… It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry, and I want you to know that. I was just being dumb. I do that sometimes.”

Blake stopped abruptly, Yang narrowly running into her as the black haired woman stood still. Ever so slowly, she turned around. Amber eyes and lilac meeting once more, this time in earnest. Without cockiness or animosity between them, they were actually able to share a prolonged moment where intensity couldn’t be measured, and neither of them wanted to think deeply on it anyway.

“Alright, I’m listening.” Blake said neutrally.

Yang took a slow breath. “Right, well…” Now that she had Blake’s attention, what did she say? She wasn’t exactly sure what she was trying to accomplish, but she knew one thing. This girl in front of her had been guarded the night before. Unreasonably so. As if the entire world had been out to get her. “Look, I know you stood up for my sister out in the courtyard. I just… I had it in my head that you’d be nice to her beyond that…” Yang said nervously. “She’s really shy, and you seemed to be on your own. I was hoping you’d get along well with her, you know?”

“Yang, we’re partners, so I’ll do the courtesy of telling you something. I’m an opportunist at heart. I didn’t defend your sister to be a good person.” Blake sighed, not exactly proud of the grudge she felt towards people like Weiss Schnee. “All I saw was an opportunity to say a few biting words to someone that I disliked. I took advantage of it. Your sister was just in the middle of it, that’s all.”

“Yeah, but you did Ruby a favor too. Even if you don’t care, you still have my thanks for that.” Yang said. “And I feel like I can’t say it enough… I’m sorry for just assuming things. I was just hopeful, that’s all…”

“You don’t have to be sorry. In fact, you’re absolutely right.” Blake replied, turning on her heel. “I am a lost cause. That’s why I came to Beacon, so I don’t have to be one anymore.”

With nothing else to say, and nothing she really wanted to hear out of Yang’s mouth, she pushed forward once more. Her past, her history, rolling over and over in her head. If anything, that was the worst part about Yang. This blonde girl seemed to know exactly what to say to get under her skin, intentional or not.

* * *

There was something very cathartic, useful even, with the way Ruby toppled a tree every now and then with her scythe. Her weapon was not meant to be treated like an axe, but the blade was sharp enough to slice through bark like paper. Ruby had started doing it out of frustration. Now, she was also doing it to mark their path. Ruby might never have had the same level of experience that most hunters did. Still, she knew how to make her way through dense forestry. One thing she knew for sure, Weiss Schnee was by no means an excellent navigator.

She was the worst navigator Ruby had come across. Considering that her own skills were nothing like those of her family, that was saying something.

In any other situation, Ruby would have loved to explore these densely packed woods at her own pace. The small wildlife seemed to thrive well here among Grimm, and the trees were beautifully colored in majestic hues. Mossy browns colliding with the colorful greens. Even the Grimm, although much larger and clearly more powerful, seemed rather tolerant and more docile than she had come to expect. The pack hunters did seem to roam in larger numbers, and that was a downside, but Ruby found that she didn’t feel particularly frightened of the prospect.

If that was because she wasn’t alone, or because she had truly become comfortable gallivanting around Grimm inhabiting areas, Ruby wasn’t entirely sure.

Either way, they were lost. They needed to change tactics, and they needed to do it soon.

“I think we may be lost.” Ruby noted offhandedly, slicing at another tree. She had hoped the casual remark might sit more easily than addressing Weiss directly, something that had only proven to fail.

“We are  _ not _ lost.” Weiss insisted, her nose pressed to her scroll.

“Do you even have any idea of where we’re going?”

“I have a better idea than you do.”

“Right, says the girl who doesn’t even live in Vale.” It was a low blow, sure. One Ruby knew she would have never made in other situations, but she was tired of the condescending attitude Weiss aimed at her. “You weren’t even born here. There’s no way you know the way around this forest. Not even I do, and I’m used to places like this.”

Weiss grit her teeth but refused to even look at the girl that had become her partner. “Then you’ll obviously be of no help to me, so be quiet.” The idea of spending the next several years with this child seemed impossible. “I know my way around far better than you do.”

“Pfft, you do not.”

Weiss whirled around, finger outstretched. “Don’t pick a fight with me that you cannot win.”

Ruby reached out, grabbing that offending appendage and twisted just enough to get the heiress to recoil out of her space. “If you’re going to point things at me, you have a sword, you know.”

“You’re the one being completely insubordinate! Firstly, I’m here on a visa.” Weiss said, ticking off her many complaints on her fingers. “It states that I do live here for the time being. Secondly, once I’m a huntress that’s graduated from Beacon, there’s nothing keeping me from attaining a full citizenship in Vale if I ever wanted to have it. Thirdly, there’s this little thing called a map.” She said hotly, her ire at an all-time high, thrusting the clear scroll in Ruby’s face. “Use! It!”

Taken aback by the white haired girl’s ire only served to re-ignite Ruby’s own.

Their partnership had gone wrong in almost every way possible so far. Fighting Grimm had been a sloppy experience, and the fire that they’d jointly started certainly didn’t look good. If anyone found out that they were the ones that caused it, there could be trouble. From their first meeting to this very initiation, nothing but lackluster outcomes had ensued.

Ruby could only take so much, and while she knew she was terrible with teamwork, Weiss certainly wasn’t taking notice of her concerns.

She grit her teeth, wishing yet again that she had run into Yang first. Since turning her back on Weiss and storming off wasn’t an option, she kicked a small dirt pile on the ground. “Let’s just go then.” Ruby bit out. “I’m tired of being out here.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” Weiss said, turning on her heel and leading on once more.

* * *

To Coco’s basic knowledge, the students had been sent out in batches of thirty-two. There were sixteen relics and therefore sixteen pairs of partners in each batch. It was a large enough group to reasonably find pairs, without too many grouping together at once. Every time a team made it back safely, Professor Port would inform all of his students under his command. As it stood, there were eight stragglers still in this particular batch, all of them closing into Coco and Velvet’s general area. The second year team leader kept her cool, but inwardly, she was just eager to be done with everything sooner rather than later.

“Oh, wow…” Velvet murmured when she caught sight of flaming red hair.

“Well?”

“Pyrrha Nikos and that blonde boy from earlier are headed towards us. Call me crazy, but I just don’t believe it.” Velvet reported. “I knew she was coming to Beacon this year, but I didn’t see her in the crowd of students yesterday. I thought maybe she had dropped out or had already been assigned a specialty team.”

“Nikos was in my batch of first year kids last night. You and Fox had it easy babysitting all of the normal folk yesterday.” Coco laughed. “Star athletes like Pyrrha Nikos get special treatment as they were processed through. Last night, we roomed her with the others that got in on corporate sponsorships. We had to deal with film crews, journalists, photographers, bloggers, the whole nine yards.”

“That sounds like it was a complete pain...” Velvet said distractedly as she watched the students stand together, their auras glowing gently around them.

“It can be, I suppose. Everyone wants a piece of the glory, you know.”

“Uh…huh…”

“Star-struck, huh.” Coco said softly, wrapping her arms around her distracted lover. “Careful, lean any further forward, you’ll fall off the branch.”

“I’ve never seen anything like that before.” Velvet said softly. “It’s sooo… I have no words.”

“Oh for the love of god, give me that.” Coco pulled the binoculars away, lifting up her shades so that she could get a closer look. “Huh, looks like he didn’t have his aura unlocked. She must have done it for him. A good thing too, he’d be pretty worthless if he didn’t have an aura to defend himself with.”

“Don’t you think it’s beautiful?”

“I think you’ve lost your damn mind.” Coco murmured. “It’s just aura.”

“I’m reading too much into it. You’re probably right.” Velvet frowned then, realizing exactly why Coco was so largely unimpressed by the display.

Humans largely viewed aura as a tool. Faunus held their respect of aura to a higher power. Something greater than organized religion and spirituality combined. To express one’s aura, to touch souls with those of another, were not experiences to take lightly. Velvet forced a smile. She leaned back into Coco then, allowing herself the small creature comfort that came along with having a lover. Although meanings and customs seemed blurred between human and Faunus, the sentiment Velvet felt whenever she was beside Coco was certainly there.

She felt it with every emotion, frustration and fondness alike.

Although she couldn’t call Coco her mate quite yet, Velvet knew exactly how she felt. Coco was right though, it was just aura. It was what lovers chose to do with it to convey meaning that made it special… Anyone could certainly do that, with or without aura.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. This chapter has been updated as of 4/2/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	8. Chapter 8

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc I: What If** **  
** **Chapter VIII**

“You seem rather troubled for so early in the day." It was with a rather obnoxious swig of coffee and the continued clicking of a metal canister that Bartholomew Oobleck made his observations known. “Is something the matter?”

"Troubled..." The older man grumbled. "That could be one way to put it. To you perhaps nothing is amiss," the professor said as he crossed his arms. Overlooking the landscape in front of him, he couldn’t be convinced of that just yet. “I would beg to differ though.” Perched on a nearby boulder, his scroll rested propped up against his long forgotten coffee mug. He glanced at it before dismissing it outright. “We take great pleasure in our playful competitions, but we know precisely what there is to be gained. More aptly, we understand what isn’t.”

“Ah, and the students don’t.”

“Well, not yet.” Port replied with an upraised eyebrow. “Initiation day always worries me. Fourth year students, first year students, they’re all young enough that the distinction doesn’t matter. They’re all unseasoned, it just comes down to a matter of degree.”

“Yet, isn’t that precisely why days like these are so crucial?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t make them any less cruel.”

There was something to be said about initiation day. The way it loomed over the head of every well-meaning faculty member went unsaid. When it came to teaching the next generation, there was always too much to do. Never enough time to do it in. It was a harsh teaching tactic, to be sure. Then again, that was the entire point. Professor Peter Port, like all teachers at Beacon, prided himself on his tasks as a teacher first and foremost. The assignments issued to each year respectively on this auspicious day reflected that.

“So, what assessment did you dole out?” Bartholomew asked candidly.

“I sent them out to observe and gave little more detail than that.” Peter replied as he went back to observing some of the students wandering around in his area. “What they don’t know is that tonight, once the initiation has completed, each and every second year student assigned to me will have to write up a solitary mission report based on what they experienced. Naturally, I would expect that at least team members corroborate with each other, but I’m leaving that unsaid too.”

“Oh, now that’s devious,” the younger man said, smirking behind his canister of coffee.

“It goes without saying, at least I would hope. If not, it all comes down to simple errors in judgment but costly ones to make.” Port said quietly. “Even the most seasoned hunters are prone to rookie mistakes. I hope that my assignment for the second year students reflect that. I expect interesting tales compelling stories of bravery and skill. Failing all of that, however, I want to know that my students can at least write up a factual and accurate report without my help. What mission did you dole out?”

“Nothing quite so complicated, I assure you. I instructed my students to shadow one of the new attendees unseen. I expect a detailed critique next week about the initiate they were shadowing.”

“Plain but effective.” Peter murmured.

“Quite.” Bartholomew agreed.

While the combat schools focused on basic academics, survival training, and varying degrees of combat, they catered to children and teenagers. The missions that were doled out were child's play. Beacon Academy stood on a much more dangerous pedestal. The first year was a proving ground, and several students would be culled from the ranking entirely within the first semester. Tasks were more difficult, the bar was set high.

While first year Beacon students frequently took missions without the help of a teacher, they were not without the help of someone. Their missions last year had been simple, helping seasoned hunters around the world. This helped the students too, allowing them to learn and confront the moral complexities that a huntsman might encounter. Be it shadowing proper emergency services, quietly observing Vale’s council meetings, taking unimportant documents overseas on mock missions, or simply following a huntsman around dispatching Grimm. All of it could be considered relatively safe.

At least, it was safe by the standard of Beacon Academy.

Like every year though, he was concerned that some first year students wouldn’t quite be up to the task. Training was no small accomplishment after four years at Beacon were said and done. “Glynda must be going soft. The lad didn’t seem to have his aura unlocked.”

"Who?"

"This lad here, Jaune Arc," the graying man deadpanned as he observed the happenings on his scroll. “I don’t know what to think, Barty. I’m all for the vigor of youthful indiscretion, but even I find myself rather perplexed as to how he managed to slip by Glynda’s combat exam.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that, she’s terrifying when she’s angry.”

“She doesn’t intimidate me. She never has, she never will. It’s why we get along so well as co-workers. We say exactly what we mean, precisely when we mean to say it.” Port said to him knowingly. It probably helped too, that he had a very longstanding respect for Glynda. It was a sign of the time. “Long ago, she was just a student too, and some of these grey hairs on my head are entirely her fault. Back when she was a student, I was the combat instructor. Let me tell you, she was a terror both in and out of the classroom.”

Bartholomew Oobleck, Dr. Oobleck to those addressing him formally, had already heard the rumors flying around. They were hard to miss, all things considered. He knew that some of the combat exams were rather lax, but even he couldn’t believe his eyes when he watched the screen. “Well, I know for a fact that she didn’t administer this exam. Glynda was out for a series of days, tending to the unsavory little matter going on in Vale.”

“Ah, yes, the robbery at the dust shop. I’m sure all of the paperwork for that took a few days to clear up.”

“Indeed, precisely that.” Bartholomew replied with a nod. “Ozpin proctored the exams for the days that she could not. You know how questionable his methods can be. From what I understand of it, Glynda was very displeased. Jaune Arc isn’t the only strange addition to the student body either. One might say we could experience a rather exceptional year.”

“Either that or one very large mess.” Port grumbled. “Need I remind you of the horrors of team STRQ?”

“Need I remind you what team caused the most property damage last year?” Bartholomew returned, one absurdly green eyebrow raised playfully.

“Team CFVY are a rather spirited bunch, I’ll give you that.” Port relented with a small chuckle. “However, they also care a great deal about important issues, never backing down in the face of adversity. They’ll mature into the finest of their year. In any case, the entire second year student body are fine examples of just what a trainee can become. We have to hope that these first year students are able to do the same.”

“Let’s hope that these students are less spirited then. A little healthy restraint never hurt anyone. Although something tells me that hope is doomed to fail. There’s this air about them. A sort of devil-may-care attitude. Any way you look at it, this batch of first years could do with some remedial training, all of them.” Bartholomew said to himself, as he tapped his foot repetitively. These initiates were the reckless sort, and he already knew they would be a handful. “About Tai’s daughters, should we be concerned?”

Port lifted a few fingers up to his mustache, stroking it thoughtfully as he took the rather troublesome question to heart. “Well, I suppose that depends under what context.”

“You know exactly what context, Peter, don’t pretend otherwise.” The good doctor adjusted his already too loose necktie, feeling as though the yellow contraption was strangling him regardless. “It’s as though I’m looking at the carbon copies of Summer and Raven. Well, that is if Raven suddenly went blonde and used contacts.”

“If you’re asking me whether or not Miss Xiao Long will emulate her mother or not, I’m frankly not sure.” He feared for the answer himself. However, since it would not come to him on that already busy afternoon, he had no time to ponder the depths or the true integrity of the question Bartholomew posed. “It was Summer’s greatest wish to keep those girls safe. Considering my particular affiliations, I chose not to involve myself too deeply in their lives. It’s amazing to me that they’re here now though.”

“Unfortunately, it’s the same for me.” Bart murmured.

“Everything I know about Taiyang’s daughters come from betwixt the whiskey spun tales at the pub and between the hearsay murmured among Raven’s fold. Rare as the latter tends to be. The word is that she’s reaching out.” Port cleared his throat then with a laugh. “On that topic, I was implored to keep a careful watch over Miss Xiao Long, from both her father and Qrow. Tai requested we keep a careful eye on Miss Rose too, but that’s hardly unexpected.”

“No, from Taiyang, obviously not. The fact that Qrow demanded to keep an eye on Yang? Now that’s interesting.” There were very few times the man liked to think himself speechless, but to hear of Raven making contact with anyone other than her brother was a rarity. “Very, very, interesting indeed…”

* * *

Was it the thirtieth tree or the fortieth?

Ruby had lost count, feeling as though she wouldn’t make it beyond initiation if this kept up. She had no idea what happened to students who failed, but her worst fear was that they would get kicked out of Beacon entirely. While she hoped it wasn’t the case, she had no idea what was. Signal had an initiation to get into the combat program too, but as a ten year old it hadn’t been anything like this. Simple written tests, a general understanding of basic weapon safety, and a very basic understanding of hand-to-hand combat were the only things a child had to prove.

In retrospect, getting into Signal's combat program was almost too easy.

She remembered how worried she was, the anxiety of possibly screwing up massively getting to her at the time. Even though she knew everything she needed to because of her upbringing, she was nervous. Forcing her way through every test, she attempted not to be the embarrassment she thought she was. Naturally, she passed every exam, including the hand-to-hand one. Then again, in those days her fists were all she could fight with. She hadn’t had a weapon at that time, and having her father and Yang training her in the basics certainly helped.

She wished she could say that she felt that same sort of anxiety now.

This was different though, her worry and frustration compounded by aggravation. She didn’t want to think that she would be sent back to Signal if she failed. Scared of that and the fact that they didn’t have a set time limit for this initiation, she could already feel paranoia setting in. She knew first hand, the later it got, the more willingly Grimm would come out of hiding.

By evening, the Grimm’s numbers would skyrocket. Wandering around out here at nighttime was completely out of the question. Weiss wouldn’t listen to her protests. She had no way to get across just how dangerous of a situation they could be in. If they didn’t pull it together, they’d be sitting ducks. There wasn’t even a good place to camp. Cynically, Ruby doubted that Weiss had spent the night in the wilds before. She likely had no idea of how ferocious even the youngest Grimm could be under the darkness of night.

However, in spite of all of that, it seemed that the duo could both agree on one thing. They were officially lost.

It had taken hours, but Ruby could see the frustration in crystal blue eyes. The anger there was something turned inward. A sort of shame and self-loathing that Weiss Schnee would likely never admit to even though it was written all over her face.

“We should take another break.” Ruby said.

“We don’t have time for another break.” Weiss shot back.

Technically that was true, but Ruby couldn’t risk her partner’s exhaustion. “We have to make time.”

“We’ve taken so many breaks already.” Weiss refuted.

Ruby bit her lip. Weiss was right. Ruby could have gone strong for another hour or two easily, but she had been trained that way. “Weiss, all hunters take breaks, even if they can’t afford it.” Ruby said as she rubbed her hands together slowly. “Your face is all red. You’re completely wiped out. If you collapse from being exhausted and I have to carry you, we’ll waste even more time.”

“Are you implying that I’m a detriment?”

“I’m saying you need to take a break.”

“You will not claim to know what’s best for me!” Weiss demanded, even though in some ways, she knew Ruby was right. Weiss was exhausted, terribly so. For all of the training Winter had put her though, this was completely different. Atlas didn’t provide for this kind of weather, and the terrain was completely unlike what she had expected. “I’m just fine. We should keep moving.”

“If I agree to keep moving, then you have to let me take charge for a while.”

“This isn’t a debate.”

“I’m making it into one.” Ruby said with no small amount of exasperation. “Come on, trust me on this. If we’re out here for another handful of hours, you won’t make it back to Beacon. We can’t camp out here all night. There’s no safe place to be, we’ll have to call for help and probably fail…”

Failure was not an option.

Weiss bit into her cheek hard, tasting blood as she took a breath. Her fury burned cold within her. She would not return to Atlas as a disappointment, but that meant she couldn’t return to Beacon empty handed either. “Fine then. What do you suggest?”

“Well, first we’ve got to figure out where we are.” Ruby said slowly, almost as though she couldn’t believe it. “I might not know where exactly we’re going, but I know how to figure out my way through a forest. If we can just get our bearings, we can figure out which way to go. I could get us there if I just knew where it is.”

Weiss glared, her lips thinning into a tight line. “You actually think you can do a better job than I can navigating?” It was impossible, surely, but if the girl wanted a taste of her own medicine, so be it. “Fine then, prove to me that you can do a better job. I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Ruby took a breath. “Okay.” She closed her eyes, taking another. She half expected Weiss to put up more of a fight. The fact that the heiress didn’t only proved how exhausted the woman was. “We just have to get to high ground. If we could see up over the trees, we could see where the relics are relative to our location.”

“That’s completely impossible!”

“No. We just have to think out of the box a little bit.” Ruby said, as she picked up a Nevermore feather on the ground right by her foot. “I’ve noticed that these are all over the forest. Looking at this feather, the Nevermore is probably huge.”

“Obviously, but what has that got to do with anything?” Weiss asked, already feeling as though she had made a grave error in judgement.

“Sanus is a big continent, but bird Grimm have no natural predators here. They’re an invasive Grimm species that have come over from Anima. When they grow, they tend to get huge. Big ones like these have to nest on the ground near open clearings just like the one we passed a while back. I’d bet you anything, if we found the nest, we could ride it.”

“Ride…a…Nevermore…” Weiss swore she had to have heard something wrong. That she was delusional, possibly even feverish. “Are you completely crazy?!”

“If we can catch a ride, you don’t have to walk, and we can probably get to where we need to be even faster.” Ruby said eagerly. “At the very least, we can see where it is, and drop back down and walk there.”

Weiss bit her lower lip. It was completely insane. Total lunacy. She couldn’t even believe she was considering it. Yet she couldn't fail. She would put her life down as a bargaining chip to prove that. “Fine, we’ll do this your way, but I’m warning you, if I die, I’m taking you with me.”

* * *

Yang tried her best, but trying to pull a conversation out of Blake was like trying to pull teeth.

They’d already taken several breaks to relax a bit. Doing the best they could to get a better idea of what was going on around them. They passed by a few students that were still single and in search of a partner. Yang pitied a few of the boys that they had passed. They were completely dejected as they realized that they weren’t going to get to have one of the pretty girls as a partner.

Yang clung to her good luck over the matter, because Blake Belladonna was certainly very easy on the eyes. She was the meticulous sort, probably the type to like order and routine.

There was a comfort in that, Yang supposed. She certainly couldn’t fault Blake’s appearance, although she was amused by it. Particularly the bow atop her head. Yang generally considered bows as a childish thing, something that a more dignified woman might not choose to wear. It was an article of clothing that should have made her seem more innocent than she looked. In fact, between her glowing amber eyes and that somewhat stern expression, Blake seemed as far away from innocent as possible.

She certainly thought herself to be, if her admission hours earlier was anything to go by.

Yang felt as though she hadn’t been doing enough to earn her partner’s approval. Her words had obviously struck a chord with Blake, in ways that Yang certainly hadn’t meant them too. She had never regretted flying off at the mouth more than at that very moment. Since apologies didn’t seem to be working, she tried to find things in common, but that was a failing endeavor too. She was just about to give up when by chance, one of their fellow students passed by, several Grimm chasing after her.

The particularly overzealous red-head took maniacal glee in provoking any and all Grimm in her path. While Yang wasn’t entirely sure that it was the wisest idea by far, she half wondered if it wouldn’t be fun to get a few angry Grimm chasing after her, just to see how far they might chase her.

“That girl is seriously unhinged.” Blake murmured as she watched the small stampede continue on.

It was the first time Blake had spoken without a prompt, and Yang grasped onto the opportunity like a lifeline. “Eh, Nora Valkyrie isn’t as crazy as she looks, she’s actually really skilled.”

“And you would know this, how, exactly?”

“Because I ran into her during the combat exam Goodwitch put me through. Just like everyone else that was there for tryouts that day, I got to see the fight. It was a hell of a match-up. I can’t wait until I face her in the ring.” Yang grinned then, giving Blake a sideways glance. “You were lined up with a few students too, right? You should have seen a few interesting fights yourself. What were they like?”

“My exam wasn’t like that.” Blake said distantly. “I was tested alone.”

“Ah, AP, gotcha.”

“AP?”

Yang frowned, squinting as she lulled to a stop. “Advanced placement.”

The dark haired woman sent Yang a sideways glance, as though she had no idea what the blonde was trying to say.

“You know, for people that are on top of the class. I was an AP fighter for Signal, but when I took the placement test for Beacon, all Goodwitch said was that I was good enough and passed me. No praise, no pat on the back, nothing. If you were tested privately, that’s kind of a big deal. Teachers don’t take that kind of time unless it’s a special case.”

“Oh.” Blake brushed the matter aside then, having no frame of reference of which to compare. It didn’t matter to her anyway.

“What kind of school did you go to? Was it academic, athletic, combat…tech?”

“It wasn’t any of those things.” Blake replied with a roll of her eyes. Yang was a talkative one, perhaps too much so.

“What was it then?” Yang asked, as if she had been openly invited to do so. She was so earnest about it too, friendly and excited.

The curiosity lingering in lilac eyes was something altogether above and beyond what Blake considered normal. She hesitated, leveling her own gaze back. She glared standoffishly, but the blonde woman was undeterred. Finally, Blake relented. “My schooling took place away from any major campus.”

“Oh.” Yang nodded, as if somehow everything made sense. “I get it, you’re totally a homeschooler. A lot of huntsmen are training their kids by hand these days. They say it’s a better way to educate early. My uncle did that for Ruby on the side. I guess I should have figured you’d be a homeschool kid. You’re so used to being alone, and you don’t say very much.”

Blake just sighed, feeling her ire slowly raise. It was amazing. She couldn't count the sort of things Yang could pry from her without even trying. It was beginning to wear her down. “Are you going to do this all afternoon?”

“Do you want me to do this all afternoon?” Yang asked with a grin.

Huffing out a long and exasperated breath of air, Blake pressed on. “No. Let’s keep going…”

“Okay, well why don’t you tell me some things you want to talk about. Things you like.”

“I’m going to keep walking.” Blake groused. “Silently.”

“Did your mom or dad do the home schooling?”

Blake said nothing to this, but the absolutely murderous glare she sent in Yang’s direction was answer enough.

“Oh, you’re a feisty one, aren’t you?”

At this, Blake could only sigh. “Would you please just shut up?”

* * *

“Weiss Schnee was in my batch of first years.” Velvet said thoughtfully as a thought came to her mind. “Given her celebrity status, I wonder why she was with everyone else. Why wasn’t she with your group like the other celebrities?”

“Probably because daddy-jackass is paying out of pocket.” Coco said darkly, as they idled the day away, taking notes about a few of the students passing by for later. “Besides, I’d be willing to bet that it’s good publicity to force Weiss to deal with all of the normal folk. Atlas is probably having a field day posting a bunch of crap all over the media. They're probably saying that the Schnee heiress is doing a good deed. I’d bet they think it’s some big deal that she might befriend a few commoners.”

“That’s really mean coming from you.” Velvet told her. “I hope you know that.”

“Velvet, I won’t lie. I’m edgy.” Coco gently took the binoculars from her girlfriend to get her attention away from whatever she had been watching. “I won’t tell you who to talk to, and I know you can handle yourself. I just don’t like the kind of behavior I’m seeing from a lot of these newbies. A bunch of them are totally racist, and there’s no telling the kind of stunts they’ll pull.”

“It’s all stunts I’ve handled in the past, I’m sure.” Velvet said passively.

“You’re too nice to the bigots. I sit down and shut up when it’s just a random asshole… I know you can handle yourself. This is different. If a person in a powerful family acts like that, yeah, I’m going to take offense.” Coco groused, her grumpy mood and the fact that she had been sitting in the tree all day was finally starting to get to her. “I don’t know what to think about Weiss. On the one hand, it’s no question she idolizes her older sister. Winter’s a good influence to have. On the other side of that coin, Weiss sometimes acts like a daddy’s girl.”

“Has Weiss given you any cause for concern personally? Has she been outwardly offensive?” Velvet pressed. “Or are you simply assuming she’s a racist?”

“That girl has more problems than that, sweetheart. The upper class always do. It’s not about being a racist, although I’m sure she has adopted part of her father’s view, I’d bet it’s willful ignorance on her part.” Coco said gently after a few long moments. The honesty in her tone beseeching Velvet to take the matter to heart. “The problem is, people like her are only raised to see things one way. I don’t want you anywhere near that girl when her illusion shatters. Velvet, promise me that you’ll be careful around her. She’s not like her sister.”

“I wholeheartedly promise you, Coco, I shall be careful,” she said as she put her binoculars back to her eyes. She frowned when she couldn’t find the students she had been watching fumble about in the woods. “More importantly, I’ve lost visual on Pyrrha Nikos and her partner.”

“Well, I’ve got visual on a couple of kids. Those two have either lost their damn minds, or they’re god-damn brilliant.” Coco murmured as she looked up to the sky, seeing two students clinging onto a Nevermore for dear life. “I need to think about trying that one day…”

“What do you…” Velvet pinned back her ears. “Oh my god!”

“That’s one huge ass Nevermore…” Coco muttered.

“We should probably get them down from up there.” Velvet told her.

“No, Velvet.” Coco pressed. “We stand down until someone gets hurt.”

“They’re going to get hurt, Coco! Clip that Nevermore and take them down gently.” Velvet bit her lip. Just looking at the two of them up there worried her. The fact that one of the students happened to be Weiss Schnee worried her even more. “How does that even happen?”

“I don’t know, and I really don’t care.” She continued to eye the flying Nevermore and the two students clinging to it. “They’ll be fine… Maybe…”

“Maybe?” Velvet muttered unhappily.

“I hope.” Coco shrugged. “I’ve got my eye on them. You go back to trying to find Nikos and that blonde kid.”

Velvet sighed at her girlfriend’s lack of concern, but she did as she was told. There was no sign of the partners, but she did notice two sets of tracks. Painstakingly, she followed them with her eyes, losing sight of the footprints several times when the forested area got in her way. Finally though, she found where they ended, and she didn’t like the looks of it. “Um, Coco, I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but there are footprints leading into one of the burrows…”

“Right…” Coco sighed. “Idiots up top and down below.”

“I  _ still _ think we should do something.”

“We are doing something.” Coco grinned, reaching up and plucking another apple as a loud scream came from deep within the cave. Moments later, a Death Stalker burst out. Both students seemed fine, if not completely terrified. Still, Coco was not compelled to intervene, not even as it chased the esteemed Pyrrha Nikos deep into the forest. “We’re going to clean up the mess they leave behind. Let’s move.”

Velvet only rolled her eyes. “Damn it, Coco.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. This chapter has been updated as of 4/2/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	9. Chapter 9

**Searching For Sunlight** ****  
**Arc 1: What If?** **  
****Chapter IX**

“Coco, we have a bit of a situation here…”

The woman only smirked as she looked down to her scroll. “What’s going on now?”

“There’s a girl riding on an Ursa, and someone is chasing after her trying to keep up.” Yatsuhashi explained.

“Seems to be her partner.” Fox added. “I think.”

“They’re headed over to your location, what do you want us to do?” Yatsuhashi asked. “Should we stop it?”

“No, our orders were to wait.” Coco told him as she followed the mess left behind by one annoyed Death Stalker. “Velvet and I are pursuing a Death Stalker incident.”

“Who in the hell pissed that off?” Fox asked, his features contorting into confusion on screen.

“Obviously an idiot.” Coco said, stepping over another fallen tree. Velvet did the same. “That thing was pretty armored out too. You might want to meet up with us.”

“What, can’t take it?” Fox groused as he examined his surroundings with his feet.

“Just get your asses over here.” Coco said with a roll of her eyes.

She closed the scroll, leisurely walking through the carnage. Letting out a low whistle, she couldn’t help but be impressed. Trees were bent, and large indents in the ground marked the path that the creature had stomped through. “You don’t see Death Stalkers leave behind this kind of mess every day.”

“I really wish you would take that to heart.” Velvet replied. Her ears strained to keep up with the commotion. “That poor first year is still screaming at the top of his lungs.”

“Must be terrified.”

“Which is why we should go help them.”

“They’re fine, babe.” Coco told her. “No blood, no gore, no dead body. If he’s screaming, he’s still good. There’s just a lot of messed up trees.”

Her scroll pinged, and she reached for it. “Coco Adel.” She answered, only to see that Glynda had contacted her.

“Miss Adel, we have some very absurd reports from third year students. They claim that there are two initiates flying on a large Nevermore.”

“Yeah, that’s the whole problem, teach.” Coco said, looking up at the sky. “They’re still riding it.”

Glynda’s face paled. “What?”

“Yep.” Coco said. “We’re following that and a death stalker.”

Glynda could only balk. “Pardon me?”

“Come on, work with me here.” Coco told her. “Initiates. Death Stalker. Pissed off.” To further prove her point, she turned her scroll to the carnage they were following.

Glynda put her hand up to her face and sighed. “I don’t even want to know,” she sighed at length before schooling her features once more. “This cannot continue. Team CFVY, upon my command, you have official orders to act. Get my students off of that Nevermore this instant!”

“Uh, little too late for that.” Coco said.

“They’re falling…” Velvet sighed.

“Of course they are...” Glynda deadpanned. “Ensure that they don’t die...”

“On it.” Coco said happily, cutting off the scroll once more.

“I told you we should have interfered.” Velvet complained as Coco picked up the pace.

* * *

When they finally reached their destination, a total of eight students had gathered together. With the relics in their hands and two angry Grimm preparing more attacks as she called upon the faculty once more.

“All eight students are alive and well.” Coco reported, seeing Port’s image on the screen. “No injuries to report.”

“Not yet, but they still have an angry Nevermore and a Death Stalker after them.” Velvet shot out, looking over Coco’s shoulder. “Big ones.”

“So I can see.” Peter nodded, keeping half an eye on the footage from above. “I believe now is the time to offer a bit of help.”

“Not yet.” Ozpin replied from his side of the communication. “You have orders to stand down until someone has been incapacitated. I expect them to be kept.”

“Sir...” Fox interjected, also connected to the call from his position. “With all due respect, they’re tearing ass down the entire section of ruins.”

“Well, that’s not very helpful.” Oobleck replied, also coming into view. “Ozpin, I must disagree with your orders. Nesting Grimm will be agitated if there’s too much racket. They risk waking the entire forest. It poses a threat for everyone else.”

“I gave my warning clear as crystal for this exact reason. The first year students have a mission to complete. I expect it to be done. If Grimm become aggressive, then that is the concern of the older students, as well as ourselves.” Ozpin replied. “Do you doubt these newcomers so much that you would not provide the opportunity to learn from such bluster?”

“I think you underestimate just who we happen to be proctoring here.” Bartholomew murmured with a soft glare. “Some of them seem to lack restraint.”

“Obviously.” Ozpin murmured, sipping from his coffee cup. “However, I would like to see how the students get themselves out of this mess. I expect to see that they do.”

“This is not a wise idea.” Bartholomew sighed softly.

“Still, he has a point. Alright then, I suggest that team CFVY keeps an eye on the situation.” Port told the students. “However, do not intervene unless you must dispose of the Grimm. After the Grimm are slain, I propose you escort these students back to the top of the cliff before they manage to locate any more trouble. Are we in agreement?”

“No arguments from me.” Bartholomew said after a moment.

“Yes, that will do.” Ozpin decided. “Miss Adel, you have been issued your orders. See that this issue is handled in a timely manner.”

“Got it.” Coco said, cutting the feed. She no sooner did that when the students began to retaliate against the Grimm.

“Coco, they’re fighting the Nevermore…” Fox said unhappily as he connected to Coco’s scroll directly. “And the Death Stalker is still really pissed.”

“No shit, Fox.” Coco said, standing on a broken piece of concrete. It once belonged to a building, but that had been decades ago.

“Ah, crap, I’ve lost visual.” Fox grunted a moment later. “Where the hell did they go?”

“They’re in the air.” Velvet said, shooting Coco an unhappy look. “You’re not going to see them unless you move.”

“I think I know what they’re doing…” Yatsuhashi said slowly, his voice tenuous. “And I don’t think I like it...”

“Goodwitch is going to have a heart attack if she sees this.” Coco mentioned, not particularly concerned that the fight had gone airborne. The students were flinging themselves from the dilapidated structures, trying to reach higher ground. “I wonder if they have a visual. God, I bet Port has his face glued to the screen.”

“This isn’t very funny.” Velvet sighed with a shake of her head.

“Speak for yourself.” Coco said, still smirking. “Holy hell, that’s one pissed off bird…”

“Coco, that girl just jumped into its mouth!”

“She’s fine.” Coco murmured. “Maybe.”

“Coco!”

“Ya know, the fight with the Death Stalker isn’t any better.” Fox told them. “Don’t think I can track these newbies with the way they keep hopping around.”

“Never mind that, I see a slingshot being made…” Velvet complained. “Coco, we need to put a stop to this…”

“They’re good…” Coco told her. “Not dead yet…”

“I believe we were supposed to prevent that.” Velvet muttered dryly.

“On that note, I don’t think the teachers will like the outcome. If we let them wake up all the Grimm in the forest, things may get ugly.” Yatsuhashi murmured. “Velvet may be right about this.”

“No, no, no, no, no.” Coco told them. “Stay put, it’s fine.”

“Until it isn’t.” Velvet told her. “That is really dangerous.”

“Those crazy little shits… They’re really going to make a human catapult.” Coco laughed, more amused than worried. “Alright guys, get ready to be a glorified clean-up crew. Fox, you’re no good to me down here. Get on the ledge that sits over the ruins.” Coco ordered, cursing to herself when she saw another dust explosion and the tiny girl with a hammer fly high up into the air. More importantly, another girl was about to be jettisoned directly into the Nevermore. “You too, big guy, go with him. If that thing is still alive when she gets up there-”

“Too late.” Yatsuhashi interrupted, seeing the Schnee family semblance begin to make a line directly up the cliff.

“Go!” Coco ordered hotly. “Haul ass.”

“Fucking kids.” Fox cursed as his transmission cut.

* * *

It was the largest Grimm she had ever managed to annoy. Even with the help of Weiss, Blake, and Yang, the near miss rattled her to the core.

Ruby hadn’t been thinking in the heat of the moment. It was raw, exciting, and that was all she cared about. She had only run up the hill, using the glyphs Weiss gave her. Her blood rushed to her head as she fought to propel herself further up the rock formation. Everything happened so fast, a blur in retrospect. Dragging the gigantic Nevermore up to the top with her had been difficult, but she found that she was able to remove the head of the creature with relative ease. Red eyes gazing lifelessly back at her, Ruby found herself more than willing to look away.

Never before had she so viscerally faced a Grimm, the danger on an entirely new level than she had been exposed to. Now that it was over, she couldn’t even recall what had been going through her head at the time. If that was a blessing or a curse, Ruby would never know.

She turned her back on the dissipating head of the black bird. Her eyes trailed down to the students she had battled alongside. Her sister was down among them, statue still. As if the blonde was frozen in awe. Numbly, Ruby towered over them, just as they gawked at her. Battle fatigue was a draining thing, Ruby’s body feeling like nothing more than a paperweight. She wanted to fall to her knees, but for reasons unbeknownst to her, she was still standing. Still breathing and still thinking in slow motion.

The small consolation was that Yang seemed to be doing the same.

Craning her head upward, Yang watched as her younger sister looked down upon them. The rest of the Nevermore began slipping back towards the ground. The huge body slowly began fracturing into nothingness. As a huntress there was a thrill left pumping in her blood, but all of it felt heavy as an elder sibling. Too heavy to bear the brunt of, knowing exactly how difficult the battle had been. It was an incredible feat of strength to drag a beast of that size in a vertical direction. If that Grimm had been heavier, it could have dragged her sister right to the ground instead.

Yang wasn’t the only one forced to evaluate the girl in front of them.

Blake also found her tongue twisted up in knots. Ruby Rose was one human she wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of. On the one hand, the girl was too soft for her own good. On the other, Ruby was now partnered with Weiss Schnee. Blake doubted she would stand a chance if Ruby turned out to be a Faunus hating racist. Seeing what had been done to that Grimm was all the more reason to double check her bow. She’d have to keep it tight to her head at all costs. Ruby Rose wasn’t a risk she was willing to take.

Among all of them, it was Ruby’s partner that felt her blood run the coldest.

In the aftermath of what had just been a rather terrifying battle, Weiss Schnee now understood that the headmaster’s warning hadn’t been an intimidation tactic. It had been brutal honesty. She looked around, noticing the four other students they’d teamed up with brushing themselves off. Together, the eight of them had survived. Looking up at the cliff that Ruby stood upon, it was still impossible to believe. Furthermore, it did nothing to slow down her panicked heart.

She tried to come to terms with the fact that a mere child had just done what she could not. Her rational logic didn’t stand up to the impressive feat in front of her eyes.

Weiss tried on every desperate level to ignore the murmurs of inadequacy bubbling in the back of her mind. After all, how could Ruby Rose take down such a large beast so easily? There was no way it should have been possible. By all rights, Ruby should have fallen to her doom. She should have, but she didn’t. Weiss half expected Ruby’s insanity to catch up to her one day. That was terrifying too, because while she hated the girl, Weiss Schnee wanted to be a huntress to save lives, not lose them.

As the last bits of Nevermore faded from Remnant entirely, Weiss felt her confidence slipping away too.

These people around her were formidable. They were rivals that would threaten her academic achievements. If she struggled to stay atop of the rankings, her father would certainly have something to say about it. She was wrong to think that Pyrrha Nikos would be her only concern. Before she could dwell too deeply on the matter, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blake draw her weapon once more, poised to strike at the trees.

“There’s more?” Weiss asked, also preparing her sword. Yang took up a defensive position soon after.

“Easy there, guys. We’re friendlies, no need to fight.” Coco Adel said as she looked to Velvet. “Did you get good ammunition?”

“Of course.” Velvet said, patting the small rectangular box she kept at her side. “More than you thought I would. You’ll be surprised.”

“I’m counting on it.” Coco smirked.

“Not to mess up this little pow-wow, but who are you?” Yang asked, interrupting the two older women in front of her.

“The name’s Coco Adel,” the second year team leader spoke. Watching as the students put away their weapons. “She’s my partner, Velvet Scarlatina. We’re second year students here at Beacon Academy. You guys just impressed the hell out of the teachers, but you can stop now. Your mission has been complete, and frankly, we don’t need you guys screwing up the entire forest. Velvet and I will escort you back to Beacon ourselves.”

“Were you watching us the whole time?” Yang asked.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Coco shrugged.

“And you didn’t think to help us!” Weiss stomped forward, partially considering drawing her weapon once more. “Are you crazy, we could have been killed?!”

“Easy there, Schnee.” Coco said, holding up her hands. “We were ordered not to intervene unless someone became seriously hurt. We were watching to make sure you guys didn’t get into too much trouble.” She locked her gaze to the top of the cliff. The girl in the hood was probably stuck up there. “Now we’re being told to intervene because the teachers really don’t want you guys tearing anything else up or waking the hibernating Grimm underground.”

“That is, if you haven’t already. The initiation will only be more dangerous for the others now.” Velvet replied, stepping a little closer to the underclassmen. “Some Grimm have very sensitive hearing.”

“What, think we can’t take it?” Yang laughed, stepping over a bunch of rubble. “And here I thought we were pretty bad-ass.”

“There are others that still need to complete initiation. They can’t do that if you keep demolishing the forest.” Coco said then, her gaze drifting over the blonde. She could appreciate the sculpted body of a brawler when she came across one. Yang was magnificent for a woman, not bulky like some. Feminine curves melted into tightly coiled muscle, and Coco considered what Yang might look like in something a tad more revealing, a leather tight bodysuit coming to mind before she pushed the matter aside with as much grace as possible. “Luckily for you all, there’s a dirt path upwards on the far side. There shouldn’t be any Grimm on the path.”

“Wait, what about my sister?” Yang said, pointing upwards. “Ruby’s still up there.”

Coco paused, taking stock of the fist-fighting blonde in front of her once more. “My other team members will be escorting her to the path we’ll be using. She’s closer to it than we are, so it’s best if we just go to them.”

“What if Grimm are up there?” Yang refuted. “There’s no way her aura can take any more of a beating than it did today. Not on her own.”

Coco just looked up at the small scythe wielding girl. Letting loose a soft laugh, she shook her head. The kid could handle herself, but even if she couldn’t, little harm would come to her up there of all places. “The teachers and an army of third and fourth year students are dispersed all along that border. If there are Grimm up there, they won’t live long. Come on, let’s get you back to Beacon.”

* * *

It was a long walk back to Beacon, one made mostly in silence or small talk.

Introductions and pleasantries were strained at best, nonexistent at worst. The eight students had worked well together, pulling off maneuvers that would put countless other students to shame, but Coco saw the cracks. These partnerships weren’t going to be easy on any of them. The team assignments had the possibility to be even worse. She looked at the artifacts that the partners protected, making educated guesses as to what the headmaster had planned.

Any possible way she configured the teams in her head, she could see the fights and animosity brewing. It wasn’t any of her concern though, it wasn’t her place to say anything, so she didn’t. They’d figure it out, or they’d drop out. It was that that simple.

“After that, I could use a long shower.” Yang said, breaking the silence. “I think I’ve got dust in my hair.”

“You and me both.” Blake agreed. She could smell the caustic residue all over herself, and she hated it.

“Man, I’m tired.” Jaune murmured under his breath.

Pyrrha shot him a sympathetic glance but kept her head held high. “The feeling is certainly mutual,” she finally managed. She didn’t want to tell him it was because she had unlocked his aura. The experience was exhausting emotionally and physically.

“I’d be tired too, if I pissed off a Death Stalker on my first day.” Coco chortled, still amused that he had gotten himself strung up by the beast accidentally.

“I am never doing that again.” Jaune groaned.

“Well, I’m not tired at all.” Nora said, skipping along happily. “If anything, I’m kind of sad it’s over already.”

“We’ll have plenty of time to fight Grimm a different day, Nora.” Ren said to her, placidly taking up the rear of the group with Yatsuhashi at his side.

“You would be wise not to fight Grimm unless you have been ordered to,” the tallest among them said simply. The massive sword upon his back making him all the more imposing as he walked up the steep hill effortlessly.

“Impressive as hell, though.” Coco told them. “I’ll give you that. Especially coming from you, Ruby. You’re a crafty little squirt.” Coco elbowed the young girl playfully. She couldn’t even wrap her head around it. “God, you probably gave Goodwitch an aneurism, kid. That was the best fight I’ve seen in a while.”

Velvet could only roll her eyes. They were supposed to be models for younger students. A good influence, if little else. “Coco, don’t encourage that kind of behavior…”

“It wasn’t like I was trying to get into trouble.” Ruby murmured, hunching herself over. She wasn’t used to praise, particularly not from a stranger older than she was. She was used to getting scolded though, and she had no idea of what to make of team CFVY. Her shyness got the better of her.

“Hey, easy there.” Coco told Ruby, offering one of her cocky little grins. “Velvet just doesn’t like seeing people get hurt. That’s all. You guys had her freaked out for a while. Personally, I think you all did good.”

“It was dangerous, though.” Velvet replied.

“It was a hell of a show, that’s what it was.” Coco shot back, that smirk still plastered on her face. “These two pipsqueaks just did side saddle on a Nevermore that had to be over a hundred years old. You don’t see things like that every day.”

“Yes, we do.” Fox said with an uncaring shrug. “You’re just the one that’s doing it.”

“Bite me,” she said, cracking him on the behind without much restraint in the matter.

“Please tell me that this isn’t normal team behavior…” Weiss trailed off, affronted by what she just witnessed.

“For us?” Yatsuhashi asked her. “It is.”

“Don’t take it out of context, Schnee.” Coco told her. “My teammates and I are about as close as you can get without having sex. You’ll get your own team soon, and you’ll understand. Until then, keep your assumptions to yourself.” At that, she glanced over to Velvet, her eyes softening. Weiss needed to know what she was in for, and Coco saw fit to provide the only warning that Weiss would ever get. “Team leaders worth their salt don’t take kindly to having their teammates insulted. Say the wrong thing, you’ll be duking it out in the combat ring.”

Weiss had no idea what to say to that. Her lips narrowed into a tight line as they finished making their way up the cliff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. This chapter has been updated as of 4/2/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	10. Chapter 10

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?  
Chapter X **

Upon arriving back to Beacon’s outermost gathering point, the partners turned in their artifact pieces. A teacher calling himself Professor Port cataloged each and every successful completion. The members of team CFVY went back into the woods. Meanwhile, the first year students were ushered through two large metal doors. There, they were promptly left forgotten to fend for themselves among the mass of other students.

“A mass infirmary?” Weiss murmured as she took a step back.

“Nope.” Yang said with a small stretch, tiny pops along her spine making her groan softly in satisfaction. “This is one of Beacon’s Quarantines.”

“I’ve heard of these in practice, the Atlas military uses them all the time. I never thought I’d actually see one.” Around her, plenty of other students were being treated, some of them she had crossed paths with, others she had not. “Now that I have, I’ll say this. These conditions are abysmal. This cannot be sanitary.”

“It is.” Pyrrha told her. “Academies hold strict regulations about medical care.”

“Weiss, all schools have these.” Ruby cringed at the smell wafting by her nose. She hated the scent of hospitals and doctors’ offices. Only bad memories included such places, and as a huntsman’s daughter, she’d visited doctors more times than she could count. The term physical exam took on a whole new meaning when one trained to be a huntress.

“Mission centers have these too.” Yang agreed softly.

“That, I didn’t know.” Weiss glanced around the room, her earlier battles with Grimm had made her sluggish and mentally exhausted. “I wonder how many more students are waiting to be evacuated from the forests.”

“Yeah, not to get dark or anything, but you probably don’t want to know.” Yang took a breath. There were a lot of seats open, so it wasn’t as packed inside as it could be. She still got the feeling that a lot of those injuries could have been avoided. “And this kind of stuff is why we need to be more careful. We could be sitting in these beds.”

“That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said since we’ve crossed paths.” Weiss said, somewhat sadly.

Yang nodded numbly. She looked over her shoulder, half expecting a teacher to be standing behind her, only to remember what her father had been telling her about. She had been so eager to be out on her own, but now, in a room full of her bloodied up peers, she realized her luck. By extension, she realized her skill in dispatching Grimm. Yang’s eyes flicked to her younger sister. “Ah well, at least we made it, right sis?”

“Close call though.” Ruby shivered, recalling how many times she had almost gotten hurt. “Geez, looks like a lot of people got hit pretty hard.” Ruby cringed. “Talk about not being prepared.”

“It’s to be expected.” Ren took stock of the situation, deeming his good health to be a pure fluke. He could have just as easily incurred an injury like so many scattered around him. “Nora, we should probably recalibrate our weapons later to reflect the armor of ground dwelling Grimm.”

“I was thinking that.” Nora nodded. “More dust will pack a harder wallop. I might stick a fork in a socket before our next mission for a boost.” At this, almost everyone looked at her as though she was crazy, but she merely shrugged it off. “Semblance thing.”

“Right…” Yang drawled, not entirely sure she could believe that.

“I just don’t get it though. Look at how many people are in here. I didn’t notice this many people out in the woods.” Jaune said. “We were out there a long time not to have run into more people.”

“Most of these are students from the initiation that took place beside ours.” Pyrrha Nikos replied. “We were deployed in even numbered batches for strictly this reason.”

“Huh, so it wasn’t simply luck of the draw…” Yang murmured thoughtfully. “Good to know.”

“Beacon carefully matches students based on several factors. Similar skill level happens to be just one. To answer your question though, no, it wasn’t pure coincidence. Chances are, we’re all part of the same skill bracket.” Her eyes flicked to several injured young men, the four of them groaning as nurses tended to their wounds. “However, I’m not exactly sure how large that bracket is or what other factors they consider when choosing to divide up the student body.”

“Well, I refuse to believe that people such as ourselves could be placed in a system left up to chance like this. Then again, it seems too unplanned to me.” Weiss said as she took a few steps forward to walk beside Pyrrha. “Are you really able to claim a child such as Ruby Rose is equal to someone such as yourself?”

Pyrrha gave Ruby a once over and then looked to Weiss. “If it strictly came down to my prior education, then obviously not. I’ve studied too hard to disregard my own education. However, I would like to remind you of the sights you bore witness to during initiation. She may be young, but she is no child… Or if she is, then she is the most fearsome child I have ever seen.”

“I’m just me.” Ruby muttered, edging behind Yang to hide from any more scrutiny.

“That’s nice and all, but can we get out of here?” Nora yawned as her stomach growled. “I’m starving, and we still have to have our partners registered by the headmaster. Oh and team assignments, too. Can’t forget about those.”

“That isn’t until tomorrow, Nora.” Ren said quietly to her. “We have some time to relax.”

“Oh, well….” Nora shrugged then, her mind drifting to the thought of a warm meal. “Ren, let’s go stuff our faces.”

“Food, now there’s something I can agree with.” Yang grinned. “None of us are hurt, so let’s not bother the medics. Just get this scrub down over with and then find some grub.”

Weiss stopped in her tracks. “Scrub down?”

“What, you’ve never been told to decontaminate after being out in the woods?” Ruby asked, raising her eyebrow as she peeked out from behind her older sibling. “Like, never?”

“She was probably privately tutored.” Blake said bitingly. “Leave it to the filthy rich to bypass the obvious things.”

“Well, pardon me for even existing.” Weiss hissed out under her breath unhappily.

Ruby and Yang were already at the table choosing their supplies. Blake just frowned. She didn’t hesitate to grab towels, a black bag with a zipper, two small bottles, and a thin bar of soap. Lastly, she found a pair of scrubs sized extra small. Shoving them into the shorter woman’s arms, she sighed at length. “Go take a shower. Put your clothes in the bag, and you can wash them later. Wear the scrubs until then, because they’re at least clean and sanitary.” Then she grabbed her own set of supplies before going off to take a shower herself.

“Not in here I won’t.” Weiss blustered. “There are men.”

“Well, yeah. Weiss, there are guys everywhere.” Ruby said with a shrug as she passed by, her shower supplies tucked under her arm. “This is a co-ed school with co-ed teams. Guys are going to be everywhere. You’ll have to get used to changing in the stalls if you don’t want to be naked out in the open. It’s wide enough in the shower stall, and there’s a bench inside, it’ll be fine.”

Weiss cringed. “I… No, absolutely not. I can just wait and take one later.”

Yang rolled her eyes as she dragged Weiss along. “You have to scrub down after being out in the field. Everyone does. There’s lice, fleas, bacteria, discharged dust residue… There’s lots and lots of creepy crawlies. It’s a real pain in the ass to have a dorm outbreak, so just take one.” She paused when she found an open stall in the women’s area. “There, go.”

Weiss shook her head as she looked around. While it was true that most of the men were on the other side of the room separated by a mosaic partition, she still wasn’t satisfied. “What about peeping toms?”

“That isn’t very likely to happen.” Pyrrha came into the room, trailing behind them.

“How can you be so sure?” She asked.

“Because if a guy came in here and it wasn’t Ren, I’d break them.” Nora explained cheerily, as though she hadn’t just promised to inflict bodily harm upon someone. “Well, at least their legs…”

Weiss could only cringe. “That does not instill confidence!”

“Oh my god, just get in there.” Yang barked, pushing Weiss into the stall and slamming the door. “Have you ever seen a shower brawl? No one attending Beacon would be that stupid.” Yang said, walking into the stall beside Weiss and slamming her own door shut too. She started up the water to warm up as she began to undress. “Trust me.”

“I’d rather not.” Weiss replied.

“Weiss, chill, you’ll be fine in there.” Yang promised. “The guys are more freaked out by you than you are of them. Peeping toms would get their asses kicked by everyone. Other guys and girls. Just don’t walk around naked if you don’t want to be seen.”

“The same applies in reverse though.” Ruby said over the sound of her own shower. “Don’t go in the guy’s area. They don’t like girls in there, and they’ll get mad if you go in.”

“I wouldn’t even dream of it.” Weiss squawked indignantly.

“I assure you that this is normal.” Pyrrha said confidently. “All students are expected to maintain their hygiene. Even with aura, catching illness isn’t very difficult with so many people cohabitating in the same space.”

“Have you ever seen an aura-flu outbreak?” Nora added. “It’s so gross! People puking everywhere, fevers all over the place, semblances going berserk…”

“Don’t forget the lockdowns.” Ruby added.

“Or the mandatory physical exams after it’s all under control.” Yang said. “You think this is bad, just wait until you’re naked in front of like ten other girls while the nurses treat you like a glorified assembly line.”

“You must be joking!” Weiss balked. “Pyrrha, they must be joking, right?”

“Afraid not.” Pyrrha said. “The aura-flu is a serious condition that can kill a person if it isn’t treated. Combat academies are highly susceptible because of our liberal use of dust and other aura contaminates. It passes just like any other flu, and like Yang says, the medical staff must quickly and effectively contain every student that has been infected. Propriety is a small price to pay when there’s an outbreak of that nature.”

“See?” Yang called out. “So just take the damn shower.”

The concept was highly unpleasant. She didn’t even want to think about that. She still doubted if it was true. Weiss was ever the skeptic, but the prospect of an outbreak sounded even worse. She resigned herself to the inevitable as she checked that her door was locked before doing as she had been instructed.

The shampoo had a medicinal smell, same as the bar of soap. It left her skin feeling dry and her hair strangely lacking the silky smooth texture she prided herself on. Drying herself off with the too small towel, she shrugged into the green colored scrubs, scowling at the feel of the pants rubbing against her bare legs.

She couldn’t recall the last time she wore actual pants, and tying the unflattering material around her waist only made her more aggravated. They were too baggy and simply felt wrong somehow. Gathering her belongings, she exited the stall, where Ruby, Yang, and Blake had gathered near the mirrors. “These clothes are completely hideous…”

“Hey, Weiss, nice scrubs. You’re like a little green gremlin.” Yang laughed, her chortling making her double over as she grabbed her sides. Her own scrubs were a light blue, the same as Blake’s and Ruby’s.

In fact, all of the girls were either wearing blue or pink garments. Looking down at herself, Weiss realized why. She was wearing a set of men’s scrubs, complete with a button up fly that she hadn’t noticed. She leveled her glare at the girls snickering around her.

“You truly have a death wish!” Weiss shouted as an indignant blush stained her cheeks.

* * *

After one last night sleeping in the assembly hall and a feast made for breakfast, the formal team announcements were finally issued out to the rest of the public.

They were team RWBY, it was now official.

It was the unlikeliest of match-ups. The large display had shown the blasphemy for all to see. Although Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang had survived their initiation, it proved nothing. There was no evidence to state that this team would be ideal, and all of them knew that. It was even more of a shock to hear that the youngest member, a mere child by comparison, had been named the leader. Inwardly, Weiss was seething, finding the headmaster’s declaration lacking. Perhaps even borderline idiotic. Outwardly, she plastered a content smile across her face, as though the man could do no wrong.

Blake was no happier to know that the Schnee girl was on her team. There was nothing she could do, her apparent freedom of choice seemed like an ultimatum now. It was either drop out of Beacon, or put up with the heiress. The choice was a hard one, and Blake mentally weighed both options as she stood there. She watched Yang praise her sister for such a lucky turn of fate, and Blake smirked in spite of herself. While she wasn’t enthused to hear Ruby was going to be leading the team, she agreed that the small girl was the most logical choice.

The pandemonium died the moment they were handed their student identification badges. The little plastic cards made everything seem much more real, as if her fate was set in stone.

They had a lot of things to do and only one day to do it in. New team paperwork had to be filled out, a packet for each team member. Over twenty pages of legal forms, photos, and other generalized hullabaloo made them narrowly miss lunch. Stops at the student shop for their books and standard supplies also nipped into a chunk of their day. Locker configuration changed around to suit team proximity, and by that time, it was already time to sit down to dinner.

Their new leader became quiet as they headed to the mess hall. Ruby grabbed her meal listlessly, having lacked a restful sleep for so long that she plopped her meal and her student identification onto the table. The leather cover was still flipped open, showing her full name, age, blood type, emergency contact, student number, and the bold label of ‘huntress-in-training’, complete with Beacon’s school crest.

What Blake found so interesting though, was that Ruby and Yang had an added symbol on their badges. There were four small squares, and two of them were filled in. They were thumbprints made in red ink.

“What’s that for?” Blake asked, pointing to Yang’s also opened badge.

“Oh, that?” Yang said as she ignored her newly sliced cut of roast beef. “It means we’re related to Beacon alumni. That thumbprint belongs to our dad, and the one next to it is from my uncle. It’s important to identify students with family that still practice the trade.”

Blake frowned at that, recalling what the headmaster had pointedly asked her several times before. He had pressed so hard about her family, and Blake presumed that this might have been why. “Is it some sort of elitist thing?”

“Obviously. They’re daughters of a huntsman.” Weiss butted in, arms crossed as she left most of her dinner ignored. Frankly, she was too tired to eat and simply wanted to go to the room and rest. They were waiting for their dorm assignments to be cleared for entry. “Hunters and huntresses are natural born fighters. They choose to fight Grimm because they are physically capable of doing so. This can be for many reasons. Early education, genes, semblances, a knack for combat, the list goes on. It’s a well-known fact that the children of hunters and huntresses tend to also be superior for the same reasons.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say we’re  _ that  _ much better or anything like that…” Ruby chuckled then, a blush crossing her cheeks as she looked down onto the table. “It’s more for emergencies. It was a rule in Signal too.”

“I find it laughable that a girl like you, who doesn’t even understand the societal implications of just what exactly a huntress is, managed to become our leader.” Weiss huffed somewhat cruelly. “You do realize what we’re training to represent, right?”

The siblings looked at each other, as if to find the hidden answer before realizing the other was equally as clueless.

“No, princess, I don’t really catch your drift.” Yang began, her voice on the edge of annoyance.

“It’s power.” Weiss replied, looking at the siblings as if they had lost too many brain cells. “Some people see hunters and huntresses as noble people. Others find them to be little more than a flawed social construct.”

“Well, no shit.” Yang grumbled, largely unimpressed.

“You just don’t get it, do you?” Weiss sighed with a shake of her head. “When you look at things that way, it’s only expected that the two of you would carry some of the prestige tied to the huntsmen in your family.”

“So?” Ruby muttered dryly.

“You’re expected to carry the profession, and later, the family legacy!” Weiss chastised. “Don’t you know anything?”

“It’s just a thumbprint, Weiss.” Ruby groused, feeling confused that her partner would even say such things. “I mean, really, I think it’s only for emergencies. If something happens to you as a student, your parent or guardian has to be told, right? Well, what about parents who aren’t home? What if they’re on a mission and can’t be reached?”

“Well someone is obviously notified…” Weiss shot back.

“Not if they can’t be.” Ruby shook her head. “In cases like that, the injured person has a superior officer someplace. In times of emergency, it designates all rights to the officer.”

“Who are the officers then?” Blake asked, watching as Yang almost choked on her food. In fact, all three of her new teammates were now gawking at her.

“Usually the academy headmasters.” Ruby said quietly, this time almost worried. “Blake, you decided to come to Beacon. How do you not know something like that?”

“Probably because hunting Grimm doesn’t run in her family, Ruby.” Yang said gently. “Most people don’t have the markers on their ID’s, and we only do because our dad isn’t around to make decisions for us.”

“Oh, yeah, guess you’re right.” Ruby laughed as she poked at her meal, feeling completely silly for not thinking that. “Sorry Blake, I didn’t realize.”

“It’s fine.” the woman said quietly.

“Although Weiss is kind of right too.” Yang added. “Being the kid of a huntsman, you grow up with different expectations. You have to go through some mandatory training for your own good. Our dad keeps loaded weapons in the house. If we hadn’t been taught how to handle them, we could have hurt ourselves. I doubt most people just leave dangerous gear laying around, but we were raised around Grimm.”

“Yep.” Ruby nodded. “Training too, it’s way harder when you have a hunter in the family drilling you.” Ruby went on to say thoughtfully, resting her head in her palm. “I get it though, with the way Grimm just wandered into our backyard.” Ruby shrugged simply, going back to her meal. “But for us, that’s just the way it was.”

“Which is why even if that thumbprint is only for emergencies, the implications extend far beyond that.” Weiss said, feeling as though she had justified her point. “I wouldn’t have chosen to be a huntress unless doing so would grant me a particular level of social and political power. Fighting Grimm isn’t a skill that actually serves my purposes, but the renown that comes with it? Now that’s worth something.”

Ruby frowned, shoulders slumping forward. She wasn’t as dimwitted as Weiss made her out to be, and she knew that on some level, people treated her differently just because she was a huntsman’s daughter. She just didn’t think about it very often. The idea itself uncomfortably dug into her shy and self-deprecating nature. “I don’t know about all of that. I just want to do what feels right. If that means helping people and fighting Grimm, then that’s what I’ll do.”

* * *

They stumbled single file into their newly appointed dorm room, suitcases and duffel bags left forgotten on the floor as the girls exhaustedly freshened up and tiredly climbed into their beds for the night. The room was small with very little storage space. Four beds, two desks, two nightstands, and a small storage closet would prove difficult for the four of them. There was a single dresser with four drawers placed against the wall and another placed just under the window. That one had three.

With belongings scattered all over the floor, they went to bed with no concern for any of it. They decided it was something to deal with in the morning. They got into their pajamas and clicked off the lights. All of them blissfully forgetting the fact that this room would be theirs to share for at least the next year.

Sadly, the rude awakening came the next day.

The first day of school was the benchmark for everything that could possibly go wrong. First, it was the god-awful lack of sleep for the third night in a row. Then, that sleep was abruptly interrupted by Ruby and her insufferable whistle. The too small dorm room and the complete lack of personal space meant the four women had to get creative in making their space their own. Factoring in a lack of breakfast and an all-out sprint to class,  and  it wasn’t any question as to why Weiss was in a bad mood.

The first day of learning was a mild one, and it didn’t do a thing to cool her temper either. Between Ruby’s disruptive behavior and the workload that each teacher assigned, team RWBY could already feel the pressure being pushed down upon them. Yang had seen it all and even let the two disjointed teammates fight it out without intervening. Although they had been at odds all day, Yang was trying to let Ruby figure it out for herself.

“She really hates me, Yang.” Ruby said sadly as she followed Yang. “Like really, really hates me.”

The dorms had small weight rooms, but Beacon also had a complete gym and spa on campus too. The facilities were located in a separate building. It came complete with sparring arenas and semblance training rooms. The entire structure spanned three floors, and it was the height of Beacon amenities.

“She’s just a little prickly, Ruby.” Yang said as she slipped past one of the large doors. She couldn’t wait to see the equipment. It was nothing like the little weight room in Signal. That was for sure. “Some people are like that.”

“She’s way more than that, and you know it.” Ruby complained softly. “No matter what I do, it just makes her mad at me.”

“Ruby, she’s all the way from Atlas. She was raised differently. You just need to get used to each other.” Yang told her, lilac eyes glimmering at what waited beyond another set of doors. Inside was a body builder’s paradise. Yang intended to explore it for herself. She just didn’t think her little sister would be with her when she did.

“I can’t get used to her if she won’t even talk to me.” Ruby complained. “What am I supposed to do? How do I get her to like me?”

“Honestly, sis, I don’t know.” With a small duffel of Beacon Academy issued workout gear in hand, she made her way to the women’s lockers. “Maybe you just need to talk to her, you know, without turning into a spaz…”

“Every time I try, she bites my head off!”

“Yeah, well, you’re not doing yourself any favors either.” Yang shrugged as she found a locker to claim as her own. “Listen, that girl isn’t like normal people. She’s snooty as hell, but if you want to be her partner, you need to realize that she earned her way here too. You guys don’t have to be best buddies, sis. You just need to be able to respect each other enough to get by.”

“But we’re teammates.”

“So?”

“So we should be friends too, shouldn’t we?”

“I don’t know if that’s possible when it comes to you two.” Yang told her. “I don’t know if it’s possible for me and Blake either. This is new, Ruby, for all of us.”

“That’s why we should be friends.” Ruby insisted. “We shouldn’t be fighting like this.”

Yang only sighed as she stripped down to her underwear in order to put on one of the outfits she had been given. There was a pair of shorts and a tank top, a track suit, and bathing suit in the bag. Grabbing the shorts and the tank top, she had no idea what to say.

She still didn’t like the way Weiss acted, but Yang knew that the white haired woman wasn’t entirely to blame. Ruby wasn’t known for working well with others either. She could if she had to, but Ruby liked to be on her own. She found comfort in strange places. In fact, that was something both of the girls had in common, although Yang was sure that Weiss would never admit that.

“Look, Ruby I get it, okay? I do, way more than you think. I know what you’re saying, but you have to figure this out on your own. You’re our leader now, and you need to start acting that way. I can’t fight this battle for you.” As she pulled on her shirt, she had to hope the advice would be enough. “She doesn’t have to be your friend, and if you try to force her into it, everything will just blow up in your face again.”

“But Yang-“

“No.” Yang scolded roughly. “No buts, just stop. Listen to me. You wanted my advice, so here it is. Chill the hell out. Give Weiss her space and respect that. I know you’re only trying to be nice, but you’re probably driving her crazy. For now, just… Try to be teammates… Not best friends, not gal pals, just teammates. Draw the line and leave it alone.”

* * *

Afternoon classes would prove difficult for Weiss and Ruby.

The heiress had a delicate touch to most of the things she did. She was clinical in a lot of ways, unnaturally pristine in others. It was captivating really, if Yang put down her guard enough to actually take notice. She smirked to herself as she twirled a pen between her fingers, watching as Weiss took diligent notes in a scrawl that was almost too perfect. Not a single dot of ink out of place, not a single margin crossed or line wasted. The cursive was as fast as it was decorative and a far cry from what the rest of the team could produce.

It spoke wonders about Weiss and about the infuriation that Ruby would inadvertently inspire within the well-to-do woman.

Yang went back to quietly doodling in her own notebook. Her eyes glanced around the room, people watching and absorbing the long lecture for what it was. Blake’s notes were short and basic, not at all detailed. Ruby didn’t even have notes, only stick figures. Yang, for her part, knew better than to keep things written down. Once she was sure that all of the important parts of the lecture were over, she pushed a button on her scroll and saved the audio file. She would listen to it again, later.

When the bell rang, the final class of the first day ended. They ate dinner as a team, but it was already clear that a fight was underway.

“Well, I’m full. I think I’m going to hit the gym.” Yang said, looking down at her empty plate.

“You were just there.” Ruby told her.

“Well, yeah, but I still haven’t checked everything out yet.” Yang knew it was an excuse, but she needed one. She had scarfed it down rather fast, but she didn’t want to be anywhere near the storm brewing within Weiss. Each stab of salad that made it past her lips seemed more violent than the last. The way she chewed was as finely practiced as the rest of her actions, and that was more unsettling than Yang wanted to admit. “Blake, you want to come with me?”

Her teammate looked up from her book and shook her head. “We have homework to do.”

“I know, and working out is how I study,” she said, gathering her things in one hand, balancing her empty meal tray in the other. “I want a good unarmed spar first though, any takers?”

“I’ll join you.” Pyrrha said then, dabbing her mouth with her napkin and collecting her supplies. “It’s rare that I get to enjoy unarmed combat.”

“Ohh! Me after!” Nora jumped up with a grin.

“In that case, you’ll need a referee. I’ll come to spectate.” Ren replied softly.

“I guess it’s decided then.” Jaune, although the last to agree, smiled at his team. “Team JNPR’s headed to the gym.”

The three remaining women sat quietly, an awkward silence filling the space between them. The rest of the room murmured at a dull roar, teams getting to know one another after their first real day of classes. Blake could pick out bits and pieces of several different conversations, but she didn’t care about them. It was the silence of her team that was overpoweringly loud to her ears. Ruby’s soft sighs seemed sad. The scratching of pen on paper issuing from Weiss proved how angry she was.

Blake wondered if she was just as loud and obnoxious to her teammates every time she turned the page in her book. Did they even take notice of such a small action? Did they even care? It really wasn’t her problem, and she knew that, but her inquisitive nature nagged at her to have a quick glance anyway. Ruby and Weiss were too consumed with their own problems, they didn’t even look up, and Blake satisfied herself with being seemingly invisible. It was more comfortable that way.

Blake ever so slowly brought a glass of milk to her lips. Half percent, it was the only kind her stomach could manage, and she lamented her predisposition to lactose intolerance. Sipping on the treat she rarely afforded herself, she treated it like the finest wine. Even that did very little to drown out the intense ire coming from Weiss in waves or the frustration Ruby seemed to feel about all of it. It was too much to take, so Blake chose to escape while she could.

“I’m going to go study back in the room.” Blake said as she collected her things. “You two should probably do the same when you’re done eating.”

“I’ll be going to the library, the materials I need will be there.” Weiss said with a wave of her hand, as if to shoo off another disturbance.

“Are you actually going to eat that salad or just keep picking at it?” Ruby asked, fork outstretched with a green bean speared into the end of it. “I haven’t seen you actually eat a full meal yet.”

“This is a full meal.” Weiss replied. “Completely sound in nutrients.”

Ruby highly doubted it. “You’re going to get tired out if you don’t keep up your calories.”

Weiss lifted her blue eyes from her notebook. “You are absolutely the last person I’d ever take dietary advice from.” Weiss said darkly. “I have a trained professional for that.”

“You pay a dietitian?”

“I’m surprised you even know that word.” Weiss replied. “But yes, I do.” Her eyes returned to her notebook a moment later, presuming the conversation done, but Ruby had other plans.

“Is this person someone who makes diets for people like us?” Ruby asked then.

“My father would only hire the finest, Ruby,” she said absently.

“Yeah, but Weiss, you look tired. It’s like you’ve been completely drained.” Ruby told her, knowing what the signs of such fatigue looked like. “I’m not trying to butt in or anything like that. It’s just that when you use your aura so much, the energy has to come from someplace… I really don’t know all of the details, but I do know that it comes from your metabolism. If your body doesn’t have enough energy to burn off, your aura will suffer for it. Not to mention all the other things that happen when you starve yourself.”

“That, Ruby Rose, is none of your concern.”

Ruby sighed, wondering what she had been doing wrong and came up short. “You still hate me, don’t you?”

Weiss doubted she could have been clearer if she had been made of glass. With several arguments surrounding them, and the continual favoritism being leveled at the youngest student in the school, Weiss could do nothing but hate her. She packed away her supplies and let loose a long, drawn out sigh. All of the biting remarks she could think of would do nothing to solve the inherent issue.

It didn’t stop her glare from reaching an entirely new level of rage though. “If you pull my grades down, I’ll do more than hate you. I’ll transfer schools entirely, and there will be nothing you can do about it.”

What she had left unspoken, however, was that she was at the mercy of her father’s opinion on the matter. If her grades dipped low enough, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it either. He would pull her out of Beacon in an instant. She had to be exemplary in every single way. That was the deal she made, and he would hold her to it. Biting her lip, she once again cursed her age.

A few more months might as well be an eternity.

For the umpteenth time, she found herself eagerly awaiting her eighteenth birthday. Then, if she were lucky, she might stand a chance against her father’s wishes. She stabbed her fork into her salad with an entirely new level of ferocity, as though even the salad had done her wrong.

With dinner as disappointing and lackluster as everything else, Weiss retreated from the canteen heatedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. This chapter has been updated as of 4/2/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	11. Chapter 11

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?  
Chapter XI **

“There’s a movie over at the student center tonight.” Ruby said, her voice hopeful. “We should go watch it.”

“It’s a horror film.” Weiss said, her voice tinging with disgust. “I have better ways to spend my time.”

“Aw…” Ruby said, looking over to Blake and Yang who sat on the far side of the room.

“Oh no, don’t look at me.” Blake said when she caught Ruby’s hopeful gaze out of the corner of her eye. “I have a meeting with Professor Goodwitch in an hour to go over some of my paperwork.”

“Yang?”

Yang just smiled sadly. “Wish I could go, but I can’t.”

“Why not?” Ruby looked down at one of Yang’s assignments, the page only half complete. She knew what class it was for instantly. “Hey, wait… Yang, this is Grimm Studies… You should have been done with that by now, right?”

“Unlike someone, I didn’t spend half of my summers rolling around in the backwoods.” Yang said, gently flicking Ruby on the nose as she turned the page of her reference material.

“Yeah, but the movie isn’t until later.” Ruby told her. “If I help you, you can get it done and then we can go.”

“Tempting but no.” Yang grinned, but it fell a moment later. “Sorry sis, no can do. I want to finish this on my own, it just takes me longer than you. Uncle Qrow taught you a lot of this kind of stuff. I didn’t learn from him the way you did. If you help me, it might not stick in my head. I don’t want to flunk my tests.”

“Yeah…” Ruby murmured despondently. “Okay…”

“Hey, sis, if you really want to hit up the movie, ask the group across the hall.” Yang suggested. “They’re a good bunch. They’d probably go with you. Nora, at the very least. She likes that kind of stuff, Ren would probably tag along too.”

Ruby thought about it but shook her head a moment later. “No, it’s okay, Yang. I’ll just hang out in the common room.”

Huntsman’s academies weren’t a typical school. Students came from all over the kingdoms to join the ranks of huntsmen and huntresses everywhere. Initiation was only the first way to cull down the student body. The second came in the form of basic placement tests that the faculty conducted privately. Out of the original sixty teams to undertake Beacon’s initiation, only forty six of them managed to complete the tasks assigned to them. Another six dropped out as soon as they realized that their team assignments weren’t what they had been hoping for.

With the completely useless students sent on their way, those that were left had a fighting chance to survive the diligent training required of them.

Glynda could only sigh as she suffered a long day considering assessments. Several teams were going to be cut before the first month was over. They would be sent away to an auxiliary school to help bridge the gaps between a huntsmen’s institution and private academy. Their promised spots would be regulated to the next school year, when they would be better prepared to undertake the training required.

This was to ensure that those least qualified weren’t placed in undue harm.

Her finger paused over a student file, sighing in dismay as she looked at her name. Ruby Rose, two years too young to be in Beacon and worlds away from her teammates. To send one teammate away, unfortunately, would mean to send them all away. That just wouldn’t do. She bypassed the student. Moving onto the next file, she wasn't happy about it. It wasn’t because Ruby deserved it, but because Glynda had been ordered to act with caution when it came to newly arrived students. Ozpin didn’t want any of these students judged too harshly and prided himself on having the most flexible academy possible.

Besides, they were promising or so he said. He clung to that, even when Glynda still opposed the matter entirely.

“Come in,” she called when she heard a knock on her office door. There, Blake Belladonna stood in the doorway, and Glynda waved her in. “Ah, yes, Miss Belladonna, take a seat.”

“You needed to see me?” Blake asked with an upraised brow as she came to sit in the seat provided to her.

“Yes, I am afraid that there seems to be a discrepancy among your files.” Glynda told her, practically seeing the concern that Blake tried to hide. “You are a Faunus according to your medical report. However, the paperwork you handed in along with your teammates stated otherwise. You seemed to have written down that you were human.”

“I…” Blake licked her lips. “I did it intentionally. I haven’t told them that I’m a Faunus.”

“I see.” Glynda said stiffly. “Miss Belladonna, my job is not just that of a teacher. My job is to oversee the needs of every woman brought into this academy. Be it procuring feminine products to addressing the concerns women attending this academy may have, I do it all. It is my job to see that you are at your best. Now, I’m sure you can see where such a discrepancy could cause an issue.”

“I’m aware of the risks.” Blake told her. “I’m willing to take them.”

“I would not advise that.” Glynda said while crossing her arms. “I realize that you find yourself in a rather strange position in all of this. You have managed to acquire one of the most questionable teams within your year. That being said, I find a little honesty goes a long way.”

“I’m not telling them.” Blake told her. “I will fully accept the risks.”

“So be it.” Glynda sighed as she handed over yet another medical waiver. “Faunus who choose to hide their traits must sign this form. It releases all of Beacon staff and your teammates from liability. Should you be administered the wrong medication or anything else that could result in death or bodily harm from your treatment as a human, no charges can be filed.” After she explained the form, she held out a pen. “I must warn you that I do not suggest signing that paper.”

“I’ll be fine.” Blake told her.

“You are putting your life at risk by signing this document.” Glynda told her, but it didn’t do any good.

“I know.” Blake took the pen anyway, signing her name on the dotted line.

* * *

Another hellacious day slipped by, and Weiss was losing her mind.

She never expected Ruby to follow after her as though the girl might be a lost puppy. She never dreamed that Ruby would try to mend a bridge between them. Hackles already raised and the edges of her temper wearing thin, Weiss did the only thing she could do. She let lose all of the things she had buried deep for the sake of propriety. Tearing Ruby down for all of her childlike antics.

She thought it to be brutal honesty and nothing more. However, it soon became clear that not everyone would feel the same way.

Weiss didn’t expect for Professor Port to disagree with her thoughts in the aftermath. Instead of reprimanding her with insults and barbed words meant to wound and cripple her resolve, Professor Port did something else. Something that hurt her ego far more than she would ever admit. He implored her to see her position for what it was. To consider it as more than mere terrible luck.

He was kind about his correction, but it lacked her desired outcome either way.

Ruby was the team leader, and Weiss couldn’t change that. She was still considered lesser than Ruby or so it felt as she continued to stand in the girl’s shadow. With vindication so far out of her grasp, she stood alone out on the fenced balcony. She couldn’t help seeing the well maintained gardens of Beacon below. There was something inherently noble about Beacon, as though bluebloods had once claimed the halls as only their own. It was the impression that faintly lingered. It reminded her of home, and yet it was so very different.

Everything at Beacon seemed emotionally warm, seemingly comfortable.

“Chin up, Schnee.” Coco told her, a pipe in her hand and smoke billowing from her lips. “You look pitiful.”

“What would you know, Adel?” Weiss shot back hotly.

“More than you.” Coco told her before averting her gaze back to her pipe. The next snide remark drifting out of her lips snidely. “Pampered little brat…”

“Just leave me alone.” Weiss groused out between her teeth.

“Why, so you can have a pity party all by yourself?” Coco took another drag. “Not happening. I don’t know what crawled up your ass and died, but if you don’t remove it quickly, you’re going to be in for a shitty time around here.”

“I asked you to leave me alone.” Weiss bit out. “I won’t ask again.”

“I’m not kidding around, I’m trying to help you.” Coco said then. “Know what your problem is? You’re daddy’s little girl. Always have been, but that won’t save your tight little behind at Beacon. I’m saying this from experience, so just shut up and take it for what that’s worth. Port was too nice to you, because that’s the way he is. I don’t play those games. You’re going to need to suck it up, and get shit done. If you don’t, Goodwitch will have you out on your ass before the semester ends.”

“I refuse to be a drop-out.” Weiss retorted before she bit the inside of her cheek. Her mask had to stay in place, the picture of perfection. She returned her gaze back to the beautiful scenery down below.

It was as though the common people had washed away all of the cruelty that only the incredibly wealthy could inflict. As if crowns had been shattered, and pedestals were toppled. It seemed almost as if dirtied palms, covered in blood and sweat, had washed away the veneer of perfection. Leaving behind a contrast of reality that couldn’t simply be bleached away with white walls and marble tile.

People lived within these walls, studied here with the implicit desire to be far more than a name upon a plaque. Praise for bloodline foregone completely, ignored almost by design. Coco might have been right, but it felt so terribly wrong.

In truth, she had no idea how to cope with that.

* * *

The blow to her ego only became more painful when she entered the dorm. Seeing Ruby sleeping atop class materials wasn’t an easy thing to ignore. Weiss had wanted to try and forget about the matter. There was even a small justification in doing so. If she let Ruby sleep, she wouldn’t have to talk to the girl. Against her better judgement, she had woken Ruby up. Despite herself, she made a promise that was finicky and unstable at best. She promised to be the best partner that Ruby would ever have.

It may have been a promise that was doomed to fail. If it did, she would never forgive herself.

Forcing out a long sigh, she cleared her throat and held her scroll in her hand. Calling her older sister simply to chat wasn’t uncommon, but it felt different now. As if she made the call, her sister might see it as a cry for help. Weiss didn’t want that. The numbers lay waiting to be confirmed, but her thumb hovered over the green icon with a sense of dread. She mashed the cancel button instead.

Just a touch lonely and a smidgen homesick, she put her scroll away.

Her father was probably in his office leafing through paperwork late into the night. He did that more often than not. Her mother was probably draining a bottle of wine or gulping down stiff drinks by the glass full. With Klein off of scheduled work hours by now, he was likely in his room with a book in hand and a glass of brandy at his side. He was probably wrapped up in one of his long bathrobes as he sat by the fire. If she had to guess, Winter was probably relaxing in her small apartment located at Atlas Academy. A bowl of ice cream in one hand and the television remote in the other, she would tire of the news and find a sitcom to watch instead.

Longing for a routine that reminded her of home, Weiss went searching for some measure of normality. She had concluded that she would find some show to watch absentmindedly. In the common room, she found she wouldn’t be alone. Pyrrha was sitting at the table, nibbling on some fruit as she thumbed through the newspaper.

“Good evening, Weiss.” Pyrrha greeted softly. Her eyes not lifting from the paper as a grape touched her lips. “I didn’t think anyone else would be up.”

“My teammates are dead to the world.” Weiss told her. “Ruby was studying, but I doubt she could keep her eyes open much longer even if she wanted to.”

“My teammates are sleeping too.” Pyrrha said, folding the paper away. “I’m surprised you’re up and milling about.”

“I prefer to enjoy leisure activities away from my teammates.” Weiss explained, sitting at the table across from her. “You’re more sociable than I have ever been.”

“My upbringing is to blame for that. I noticed you don’t seem to get along well with them. I can’t help but wonder why.” Pyrrha smiled softly. “They certainly seem nice enough.”

“Call it culture shock.” Weiss told her with a shrug. “I’m not quite used to being around commoners.”

“Aside from my sponsorships, I am a commoner too.” Pyrrha laughed softly. “Perhaps that is why I find myself adjusting to Beacon without much difficulty. It isn’t unlike Haven, at least in some ways.”

“You have two boys on your team.” Weiss told her. “I don’t know how you sleep at night.”

“Conservatively.” Pyrrha told her, but her tone remained unconcerned. “I knew that there was a high possibility that I would be teamed with men. I made sure all of my attire, including undergarments, would give me the modesty that I require. It helps that Ren and Jaune aren’t the sort to peep at what they shouldn’t.”

“Somehow I doubt that…” Weiss muttered with an uncomfortable shiver. She crinkled her nose at the thought of sharing a room with that blond man and his propensity to hit on her. It wasn’t a comforting thought. “I don’t know what to think about Jaune. I certainly wouldn’t want to room with him.”

“I don’t think I’ll mind very much. Nora decided to walk around topless in the room earlier.” Pyrrha said with only the tiniest note of humor in her voice. “It was enough to terrify Jaune right out of the room. I think he means well, truly.”

“Yes, well that may be so. That being said, he seems a little dense.” Weiss said, finding it hard to agree. “If you could try to keep him away from me, I would appreciate it.”

* * *

Her sleep had been unrestful, but breakfast was something to look forward to. Taking a light meal of yogurt, bread, and some buttered toast, Weiss tried to dive into her studies once more. Today’s classes were in her wheelhouse. A mix of mathematics, science, and history instilled confidence when Grimm studies and survival classes could not. Rounded out with a pleasant spar to end her day, Weiss felt quite accomplished to have faced Pyrrha in the ring. Even if she had lost, that was no insult. In fact, it was an honor to duel it out with the famed Pyrrha Nikos. If she were back home, she probably would have bragged about it. Her father would have been amused to hear that his high class daughter had gained the attention of someone so popular.

In truth, it would have been a possible business transaction to him, and Weiss knew that. Even so, she took her joy when and where she could get it, rare as it was.

Her happy mood was short-lived as Yang decided to start a ruckus.

“Weiss, get your shit out of my drawer.”

“I ran out of space.”

“Then make space, this is  _ my _ drawer.”

“I most certainly will, once you get your duffle bag out from under  _ my _ bed.”

“It doesn’t have anywhere else to go!”

“Store it under Blake’s bed with her belongings.”

“Ruby’s duffle bag is under that one, along with Blake’s suitcase and two of yours.”

“There should be enough space, regardless.”

“Would you both just shut up?” Blake groused, breaking the fight before it turned ugly. “Some of us are trying to read around here.”

“Not until Weiss moves her shit.”

“I am not moving a single thing!”

“Have you seen how much luggage you carry around?” Yang barked, finally losing her temper. “You’ve got so much crap everywhere that it’s spilling into my spots.” Yang pointed over to one of the bedside drawers that had once been Ruby’s until Weiss claimed it for herself. “Over half of the storage in this room has your stuff. I’m sick of it.”

“Then perhaps you should take it up with Beacon’s headmaster. These deplorably tiny rooms were of his design.”

“Or maybe just store stuff you don’t use in your suitcases!”

“Yang, stop, you’ll catch fire.” Blake warned, carefully blocking her bookshelf from the blonde woman giving off heat. “We all agreed that the dust storage is under her bed, remember?” Blake said slowly. “Just like we all agreed that Weiss stores our extra weapon hardware under her bed too. She can’t reach her suitcases without pulling out our gear first. She can't live out of suitcases if she can’t reach them, that's why she has more drawers than we do."

“Blake’s right, we all agreed to this, Yang, what’s suddenly changed?” Ruby asked, jumping down from her bunk, her red cape billowing behind her.

“It just seems like my space keeps getting smaller and smaller. Now, I can’t even close one of my drawers.” Yang pointed to the offending space in question. “It closed just last week fine and dandy, now, not so much.”

“The room was a mess!” Weiss shouted then. “You do realize that we’ll be docked points if our room is a pigsty, right?” Weiss said, dumping the contents of the drawer out onto the floor. Misplaced school books, videogame systems, half eaten snacks, a few lonesome socks, and several other random objects fell onto the pile. “How was I supposed to explain all of this during room inspection? Everything was all over the floor, dirty clothes were piled up near the hamper. What did you want me to do, have the dorm monitors write us up for filthy living conditions?”

Blake blinked slowly. “Most of that is your stuff, Yang…”

“And Ruby’s.” Weiss huffed.

“Okay, so things got a little messy, but not all of that is ours. Besides, my original argument still stands, Weiss has way too many things compared to the rest of us.” Yang said as she began sorting out the dust manuals, perfume bottles, aromatherapy candles, and everything else she knew belonged to Weiss. “How do you explain that?”

“The same way you explain your dirty gym socks ending up in the middle of the floor.” Weiss deadpanned. “That’s where they ended up.”

She grabbed her scroll, heading out of the room briskly, hearing the indignant squawking of her blonde teammate as the door clicked closed behind her.

Learning materials forgotten, she wandered into the recreational room. She stopped there, partaking a small bag of pretzels and curling up on the ill-begotten sofa that had seen better days. Flicking on the international news broadcasts only soured her mood further. The first story to cross the screen was a blurb about a Faunus march turning violent. Several Faunus had been injured, but a handful of humans had been killed.

It was the eighth time in two weeks. Weiss was hardly surprised to see the carnage drifting across the screen. She merely turned up the sound.

_ “- Leader of the White Fang had this to say…” _

The camera that had been focused on the male news reporter slowly panned over to Sienna Khan. The dark skinned Faunus woman issued a nod, the only hint that she was even acknowledging the news crew until she finally spoke.

_ “Not only do I condone the actions of my brothers and sisters within the White Fang, I encourage all Faunus to stand up for themselves such as these brave Faunus have today. We’ve stood idly by for too long. The White Fang holds no malice towards those who see our true potential. The only humans who should fear us are the humans that hold us down. Those that oppress us. These humans will be met with the fullest extent of our strength.”  _ The tigress Faunus looked directly into the camera then.  _ “We will not bow down, we will not give in. I strongly urge all Faunus and the supporters of our kind to press your lawmakers for change. Make them see reason, force their hands. That is the only way that peace will have any hope of being attained.” _

Weiss let out a huff of annoyance as the camera panned back to the news reporter, the man blathering about the current unrest going on among the public. Images of the fight showing the ruthless aggression of the Faunus community. “Degenerates…” She grumbled as she began flipping through the stations. “That’s all they are and all they’ll ever be.”

* * *

Beacon was no cake-walk. That was for sure.

Blake looked down at her school work, already feeling the words dragging across her eyes like little needles. She had three classes of recommended reading to work through, and she wasn’t anywhere near done. Instead, she found the words thick and heavy. Even though she gobbled up any and all non-fiction she could in the past, these informative works were dry. Dryer in fact, than some of the historical texts she had muscled through as a child to better understand the Faunus plight.

She doubted Yang would even do the reading at this rate and hoped the blonde wouldn’t flunk herself in the first semester.

One of the books had been co-authored by Professor Port and a man by the name of Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck. Two teachers at Beacon Academy and some of the finest huntsmen that Vale had ever known. While Blake found the texts about Grimm and their behavior informative, she also found it boring. It would put her to sleep soon enough if she didn’t take a break.

Putting the book aside, Blake held her scroll in her hands. She was lonely, but she refused to admit that to her teammates. Instead, she began dialing a number by heart. Looking at the still image of Tukson, she smiled as she heard him answer.

They talked about the little things, at first. Simple things like her hobbies, the school and the faculty. Then she talked about her classes and then her team. She talked about how she still hid her ears, showcasing her bow, and how thankful she was that her teammates had no idea. It was then that he sighed over the call. There weren’t many people she could confide in, but she felt as if she could trust him, no matter what.

“I know what you’re thinking, but there’s no way I can tell them.” Blake told him sadly. “Not now, not with a Faunus hater on my team.”

“And this person that hates Faunus, she hasn’t pulled the stick out of her butt yet, is that right?” He asked.

“That’s right,” she said. “She’s always angry and more than a little anti-social. She shouldn’t be so quick to lose her temper. I mean, I agree that our team leader is a bit childish. She’s not the sort of person I’d expect to run into around here.”

“And that makes her a bad choice?” Tukson asked.

“I really don’t know.” Blake said softly. “She’s so young that it doesn’t make sense to me, that’s all. She's crazy powerful too. Plus, she’s partnered with the person who really hates Faunus. It’s all such a big mess.”

“If this person that hates Faunus so much troubles you so terribly, why not bring the matter to the faculty? Moreover, why won’t you tell me her name?” He asked again.

“I told you, I can’t.” Blake told him, though she held back a small laugh when she heard the large Faunus grumble under his breath. “I want an impartial opinion. Hearing details like that might change what advice you might give me… I can’t take it to the teachers because I don’t want the whole school to know I’m a Faunus. They might say something that gives it away. Goodwitch wants me to be open about it too. What if she outs me?”

A loud thump could be heard, as if he just set down a large stack of books. “I don’t know why you ask me junk like this. I'm no good at it. If you want advice, call your father.”

“I can’t do that either.”

“Why in the hell not?”

“You know why!”

“Damn kids.” Tukson growled under his breath.

“I heard that.”

“It’s good you did.” He shot back. “Blake, I know you don’t believe me, but there’s nothing more powerful in this world than a father out to protect his little girl. You just don’t get that. You’re not a parent, you couldn’t understand even if you wanted to.”

“If he finds out what I’ve done, he’s going to hate me.”

“Blake, you don’t have what it would take to make a guy like Ghira hate you, not for any reason.” Tukson sighed gently. "You're his daughter. That means the world to him. You're the only child he has. He would move mountains to do what's best for you." 

“My dad isn’t why I called. You’re used to being around humans, you know how they think.” Blake asked, completely avoiding the topic of her family for the umpteenth time. She would not call them until she had something to show for herself. “So, are you going to give me advice about my partner and my team or not?”

Tukson was quiet for a moment, more grumbling reaching over the line. The sound of a can opening caught her ears. She could hear him gulping it down, but then silence followed. “Let’s start with the girl that hates Faunus. Is this person discriminatory because they don’t know any better? Or is it because they’re too narrow-minded to care?”

“Can’t say for sure, and I don’t want to go sticking my nose into the matter. I might cause a huge blowout.”

“Alright then…” Tukson drawled. “Take some time. Figure it out. Be it from personal experience or indoctrination, bigots hold their views for their own reasons. It might not be a good one, or even a fair one, but it’s theirs to have. It’s never just a mindless thing.”

“It sure seems like it sometimes.” Blake said to him, her ears twitching beneath her bow.

“Only to the young and stupid.” Tukson said under his breath. “You have to be the one to extend the olive branch. If you have any hope of proving that Faunus can stand on equal ground, you have to show her that you can. Finding a common understanding is what makes equality useful in the first place.”

“Yeah, well that’ll be easier said than done.” Blake huffed softly.

“Look kiddo, some people you just can’t change, others you can. You have to decide if it’s worth it for you to make the effort.” He guzzled down more of his drink before clearing his throat. “Now then, onto the little leader of yours. You say that she seems excitable and impressionable, so make a positive impression. Let her be young and curious. If she seems insensitive, teach her otherwise. You can do that, Blake, that’s what the White Fang should stand for. It’s what the organization used to be.”

“She’s still too young to be in Beacon though, I firmly believe that. I also think her methods for leading will be questionable.”

“More questionable than leadership you chose to follow in the past?” Tukson asked.

“No…” Blake felt her bow crinkle under the force of her ears. “I can’t put my finger on it exactly, I don’t even have a good way to explain it. I’m used to skirmishes, and even I found myself exhausted after initiation. I just can’t help but feel like it was good luck that we got by unscathed.”

“Sometimes, luck is all you need.”

“It can’t really be that easy, can it?” She asked him.

“Of course it can.” He laughed then. “Finally, that partner of yours. The girl seems friendly enough. She doesn’t sound racist to me. If you’re scared about it, you might as well just ask her. She seems forward enough to just tell you what she thinks.”

“There’s no way I’m doing that.” Blake shot back. “What if she does hate Faunus? If I ask, then I’ve practically outed myself at that point. Besides, even if my partner doesn’t mind, I’m on a team of four.”

“Do you think she would tell the rest of your team, even if you asked her not to?” Tukson asked gently.

“I don’t know…” She could hear footfalls coming down the hall, and the fidgeting of the door made her cringe. “My teammates are here, I’ve got to go.”

“Understood, just keep in touch,” he said, cutting off the line swiftly.

The dorm door opened to reveal a very despondent looking Ruby Rose. The girl looked like a kicked puppy as she gathered her school supplies and crawled up into her bed. Blake frowned at this as she tucked her scroll away. She glanced over to the fort Ruby had made above her bed, blankets acting as a makeshift tent. She knew she should have said something, but with her own homework incomplete, Blake decided it would be better to focus on her studies.

With one final glance to the girl, she opened her book and studied once more.

* * *

Weiss sighed as she buried herself in homework. Overcome by her desire to prove herself to her classmates, teachers, and even to herself, she surrounded herself in learning materials. She plowed through her recommended reading in record time and dove into the research for her first project detailing the ecosystem in the Emerald Forest.

In her personal opinion, the creatures of Grimm were monsters to be slain, but this report issued by Professor Port asked her to suspect otherwise. It demanded that she look at Grimm from a new perspective. As something less of a demon and more of a beast.

She yawned into her palm as she began her paper with comparing the native black bears, scientifically known as Ursus Sanus, with their Grimm counterparts. The normal black bears native to Sanus were omnivores, having a diet largely based on the time of year. Ursa Grimm, like all Grimm, were strictly carnivores. Although both typically nested in forested areas, bears didn’t tend to wander towards civilization unless food happened to be scarce. Ursa Grimm gravitated towards civilization to feed, seeking humans and Faunus as prey most of all.

After emptying her third cup of coffee, she was no closer to finding a positive use for Ursa Grimm than when she had started. “I don’t know how on Remnant anyone could find a practical use for Grimm.” Weiss lamented just loud enough to air her frustration.

“It’s partially because of mimicry…”

Weiss let out a muffled shout as she bolted upright. Yang was leaning heavily over the table, her damp hair flowing wildly over her shoulders as she walked around in a pair of shorts and a skimpy top.

“Must you be so brash?” Weiss half growled from between her teeth.

“You just looked like you needed help that’s all.” Yang said, sitting down in the chair next to Weiss. “My dad _ is _ a huntsman. Grimm Studies is a total breeze for me.”

Weiss lifted her pencil, ready to take notes. “Alright then, Yang, what would mimicry have anything to do with it?”

“Mimicry of Grimm is a trick of nature.” Yang began. “Grimm of the mammal variety, like Ursa, don’t grow their white markings and armor plating until they completely mature.” Yang said, flinging an arm over the back of her chair as she reclined back, balancing her stack of books in one palm. “The juvenile Ursa just look like a big furry black bear with red eyes. This helps the bear population thrive. The fact they look so alike can protect the regular bear from being killed by something bigger and stronger than they are. People aren’t likely to mess with bears rummaging on the outskirts of civilization. Especially if they can’t tell the difference between a bear and a young Grimm. Sanus doesn’t have a brown bear population anymore, that’s probably part of the reason why.”

“I see.” Weiss murmured thoughtfully. “Classic evolution at work. I honestly didn’t think of that.”

“Well, it’s just a theory.” Yang said, plunking her books back down and supporting her head in her palms. “Grimm don’t have aura like living things do, and as they mature, they stop looking like animals and begin to look like Grimm. It’s probably mutually beneficial, but the idea of mimicry only takes the argument so far. It’s a start, and it’s the angle I’m going with. What sucks is that it can’t carry the whole report.”

“That’s still very insightful, Yang. I’ll be able to begin my research from that perspective.” Weiss said with a nod. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, well don’t get used to it,” the blonde said as she stood to gather her things. “I’m going to bounce, I’ve got my own report to write and about a gallon of sports drinks waiting for me on my bunk.” Books in hand, she was about to leave before seeing an opportunity presented to her that she couldn’t pass up. “You know, Ruby’s probably already finished this report by now. She practically lived in the woods outside of my house with all the training she used to do. You should totally ask her about it. It’d be an easy grade.”

“With all due respect, I’ll have to decline.” Weiss said after a moment’s consideration. “I came to Beacon to study carefully, not simply to take the easy way out of my classes. Besides, it would look bad for Ruby if my report seemed to contain all of the same information as hers.”

“Suit yourself.” Yang said with a shrug. “Just don’t burst a blood vessel over it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction now has a beta reader. Thank you to Woes Be Gone for taking the time to beta this project. This chapter has been updated as of 4/5/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	12. Chapter 12

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XII **

A full day of classes had ended. Team members scattered to enjoy their own pursuits. Weiss was one of the recreational rooms enjoying a game of chess with Pyrrha. Blake had gone off to find study materials in the library. Yang had gone back to the dorm, and Ruby had followed her. They both enjoyed the quiet time, until Ruby got bored.

“Hey Yang, what are you up to?”

“Studying.”

“You’ve been doing that for hours.” Ruby said then. “Aren’t you tired yet?”

“Yeah, but I’ve got to get this done.” Yang said, turning up the volume as she tried to catch the end of the lecture she recorded. She sighed as she stopped the recording and backtracked a few seconds. Professor Oobleck had a bad habit of zipping around the room, making recording his lecture more difficult than most teachers. “You know, sis, you should probably hit the books too.”

“I can’t take any more of that right now.” Ruby told her. “My brain feels like mush.”

“It’s going to feel even mushier if you bomb another pop quiz.”

“Ugh, don’t even remind me.”

Yang glanced over to her sister. Ruby looked like a human puddle as she lay across her bed, a slow sigh drifting from her lips. Rolling her eyes, she pushed the pause button and pulled the ear bud out. “If you need a break, go to the common room or something. Jaune’s probably there watching television.”

“He’s not.” Ruby told her, flipping onto her side. “His team are all in the library.”

“So, take your books and join them. They’ll gladly take a fifth.” Yang shrugged.

“How do you know that?” Ruby asked, but Yang just rolled her eyes. “No, seriously! How do you know that?”

“They have most of the same classes that we do." Yang told her. "It’s better to study in groups. Divide up the work and, share notes, that kind of thing. Beacon pretty much demands that with the workload they give us.”

Ruby only sighed despondently “Oh, yeah, tell that to Weiss.”

“She isn’t _that_ bad.” Yang told her younger sister. “You know, you could really learn something if you went to her and did things on her terms once in a while.” Ruby didn’t move. Instead she continued to lay there like a human puddle.

"I really can't right now." Ruby groaned. "I just can't."

“Okay, suit yourself. I've got to study though.” Yang shrugged, putting her ear bud back in to continue studying.

* * *

Staff meetings about wayward students were an unfortunate practice, but one that all of the teachers insisted upon. Together, they sat around the long oval table. Initial evaluations in hand, and the first week of test results were in. It wasn’t looking good.

“Now, now, let’s not be took concerned yet.” Peter replied as Glynda looked at him crossly from across the table. “It is only the first week, after all.”

“I don’t care what you say, that boy is no huntsman.” Glynda argued as she tossed Jaune Arc’s paperwork across the table in exasperation. “He has absolutely no management of his aura.”

“We’ve seen students of his ilk before.” Peter replied slowly. “Slow on the uptake, but very willing to learn. According to his transcripts, he was in Signals academic program. He probably plans to study Grimm, not kill them.”

“I might agree, but he doesn’t understand even the most basic terminology.” Glynda disputed. “To top it all off, his grasp on even simple combat is rather shaky at best. He swings his weapon around like a child would plaything. It’s disheartening to say the least.”

“His grades won’t hold up either, at this rate.” Bartholomew sighed sadly. “He’s failed his test, quite spectacularly at that.”

“Mine too.” Glynda groused. “How did he ever pass the initiation unscathed?”

“That has more to do with his partner.” A short woman with greying hair replied. Beacon Academy’s very own Professor Peach sat at the table with her own complaints. Her Faunus long tail twitching upon her lap. “Pyrrha Nikos likely carried the weight of that excursion.”

“That would explain a lot, actually.” Bartholomew said, noting the way Peter examined him. One eyebrow raised as he stroked his mustache thoughtfully. “Quite frankly, I am in agreement with Glynda. Jaune Arc has the lowest grade in the class outside of Ruby Rose, who also failed spectacularly in three out of five simple quizzes. She narrowly passed the other two. Don’t even get me started on her written work.”

“Really now, she failed?” Peter lifted his brow at that. He never knew the younger professor to lie, most certainly never about academic achievement. Still, he found it a shock all the same. “She’s done nothing but excel in all of my classes. Grimm Studies particularly, she’s at the top of the class so far.”

“Miss Rose is one such predicament that I can understand, and to some extent, I think we should probably condone it.” Glynda replied. “Ozpin literally uplifted the girl from Signal far too early for her own good. Given her upbringing, I can safely assume that in courses related to being a huntress, she’ll do fine. It’s everything else that’s likely to crumble.”

“With all due respect, if she cannot keep up with the coursework required of her, why is she in attendance?” Bartholomew wondered, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“You’ll have to take that up with Ozpin directly.” She removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes exhaustedly. “I tried to stop him, but you know how he can be. Once he puts to mind an idea, it is very difficult to pull him out of it.”

“Speaking of Ozpin, he normally sits in on these sorts of meetings.” Peter said as he leaned forward a bit to reach his mug, taking a sip of the coffee within. “Where is he?”

This question sparked her ire, and her glower aimed at the table spoke perfectly of her feelings on the matter. “Talking himself into a rage that won’t soon be forgotten about, I’m afraid. He’s in a meeting with Sienna Khan, and she is not the diplomat that her successor was.”

“As if speaking to her will do Vale any good.” Peter said darkly.

“It never does.” Bartholomew agreed. “That woman cannot be reasoned with.”

“Indeed, but with the White Fang’s activity increasing in malignant ways, the threat of Grimm attacking our boarders also increases.” As she said this, she too reached for her drink. Giving herself a moment to pause and think, she couldn’t help coming up short. “It’s true that Vale is a powerful foothold against Grimm. However, we can only maintain that luxury by keeping the kingdom prosperous. She fails to see that.”

“Or more aptly, she doesn’t care.” Peach said, her own thoughts on the matter one she didn’t voice very often. As a Faunus, it was a slippery slope. “When Ghira oversaw the White Fang, he used his power to beseech the good peoples across the kingdoms to come together. Kali was a large part of that. She regarded humans as allies to our cause. She never once claimed them our enemies. The new leader doesn’t hold those views.”

“Of course she doesn’t.” Peter grumbled more to himself than to the others before he spoke up more clearly. “The White Fang will not see progression under her heavy handed assaults on the human population. It’s an insult to everyone. The citizens cannot live under these conditions. If she’s looking for a fight, I’d gladly give her one. Although humans might be weaker in terms of raw power, we are an industrious people. We are always building to larger machines, and stronger weapons. There is a reason why Atlas still holds an ironfisted grip over the Faunus population, let us not forget that. We should be working together, not trying to kill each other.”

“Well she certainly hasn’t forgotten about past crimes, and that’s entirely the problem.” Glynda sighed at length. “Regardless of the outcome, unfortunate though it will obviously be, our concern is our students. Ozpin cannot be here in this room today, so it falls to us to handle scholastic proceedings on our own.”

“Which leads me back to our previous topic.” Bartholomew said, gesturing to the complete mess of paperwork strewn across the table in front of them. “What do you suggest we do about all of this mess?”

“I think we can agree that for some of our students the usual tutoring program will be insufficient.” Glynda remarked. “It’s not that I enjoy doling out preferential treatment, but in the case of several teams with problematic leaders, I see no other option. As for Jaune Arc, Cardin Winchester, and Ruby Rose, we will have to pull them aside and train them privately ourselves.”

As a professional, Bartholomew always took the time out to help his students in any way that he could. Yet, even so, he was just one man. What Glynda proposed seemed ridiculous, even for him. “While I applauded your good intentions, I also wonder just how much time you think you have in a day. Glynda, you cannot expect me to hold a tutoring session for every single class I run, that would be astronomical.”

“Obviously Bart.” She bit out tiredly. “You have all of the math, science, and history classes, across all four grades. Not to mention sex huntsmen specialization classes for third and fourth year students. Only a madman would suggest that you try to offer full days of tutoring on top of all of that.”

“I’ve been saying for years that we need a civilian teacher for civilian subjects.” Peter mumbled. “This only proves the point.”

“A civilian wouldn’t last a single day in these halls.” Glynda groused once more. “Besides, that’s not truly the issue here, and we all know that.”

“This is the lowest scoring class of first year students since-”

“Don’t!” Glynda said interrupting Peter before he could jinx them all. “Don’t say it. Not even another word.” She ordered crossly. She was well aware of the implication, and that was all that mattered.

“Come now, we all know the curriculum.” Peach told them after a moment to regard her peers. She was the oldest teacher among the head faculty, Peter coming in only a decade behind her when it came to seniority. “We’ll just divide the students up and tutor them on the required subjects. That’s the fastest way to bring them up to speed...” She glanced back to the three most problematic students, and sighed once more. “Most of them, anyway.”

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. This is why I find transcripts to be absolutely meaningless.” Bartholomew said as he gathered up his grade books. “Nothing but an academic nightmare, all of it.”

“Be that as it may, we have to keep them on record. It’s the law.” Glynda said as she put down several stacks of folders. “Now stop complaining and pick a stack so that we can get to work…”

* * *

“Hey Yang, can I come with you to the arcade tonight?”

That was a loaded question, and Yang cringed while her back was turned. Her friends were nice to Ruby, they always had been. Unfortunately, though, they never really liked her. There were times in the past that she would let Ruby tag along, but the time for that was over. They were in Beacon now, they had to put up with Ruby more than they would ever choose to. Asking them to be even nicer than they already were would be a stretch.

“Nah, sis, not tonight.” Yang said as casually as she could. “We’re not even going to the arcade anyway. The plan changed so that we could save our cash. Now we’re staying on campus and doing pedicures instead. You’ve never liked those.”

“I could sit and watch.”

“You’d be bored.” Yang shot back, trying to force a laugh. "It's all girl talk, boyfriends, stuff like that. You hate girl talk."

“It’s better than just sitting here alone.” Ruby shrugged.

Yang cursed her luck. It was one thing to ask them to be nice to Ruby during a sleepover. It was even expected that they treat her with respect whenever Ruby shared a class or passed them in the halls. If they were still going to the arcade, she might have considered it, but that wasn’t the plan now. Taking Ruby to someone else’s dorm room, uninvited at that, crossed a line. She couldn’t do it, and asking them to come over here would be disrespectful to Weiss and Blake who would return to the room at any time.

“I can’t just take you with me, sis.” Yang told her then, honesty her only option left. “They invited me to go, but they didn’t say I could drag along my teammates. The room is too small for all of us to cram ourselves in there. It’s the same size as ours. You don’t even have anything in common to talk about.”

“Come on, Yang, please?”

It really hurt her to say it, but there was only one right answer. “Sorry sis, the answer’s no.”

* * *

Ruby frowned as she looked at the lone cookie sitting on the plate. It looked just as lonely as she was. She poked at the tasty morsel before sighing into her palm. Yang was out having fun without her, and her teammates didn’t want to be bothered. She had nothing to do besides idly play games on her scroll and sit at the common room table.

“Hey Ruby.” Jaune greeted, coming in to get a drink from the well-stocked refrigerator.

“Hey Jaune.” She murmured, not looking up from the depressing little cookie. She might as well just eat it and put it out of its misery.

“Uh, you okay?” He asked as grabbed one of the sports drinks, cracking it open to take a sip.

“Yeah…”

“You don’t sound like it.”

“Hey Jaune?”

“Yeah?”

“What do you and your team do for fun?”

The young man shrugged, not truly sure how to answer that. “We hang out, basically. Nora gets bored, so she’s always on some sort of adventure. Pyrrha and I just hang out in the room.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, that’s about it.” He took a seat at the table. “Sorry, it isn’t very exciting.”

“At least you and Pyrrha get along.” Ruby told him, looking up from the table for the first time since he entered the common room. “You’re friends, right?”

“About as much as we can be at this point. I mean, we haven’t known each other for all that long. She’s nice though.” Scratching the back of his head, he just gave her a somewhat clueless look. “Isn't it the same with you and Weiss?”

“Yeah, right.” Ruby scoffed before flopping onto the table. “My teammates aren’t exactly close, and I don’t think they want to be, either.”

He vaguely recalled a fight in the courtyard on the day he arrived. Weiss was doing a good job at shouting at Ruby before Blake managed to step in and make it worse. He was sure that Blake and Weiss hated each other, but he had no idea why. “I don’t know what to say about that.”

“You’re not the only one.” Ruby told him. “I think the only one who likes me is Yang, but she’s my sister, she has to like me. It’s kind of the sibling code.”

“Maybe they just need to fight it out.” Jaune told her. “Then again, girls fight a lot differently than guys do, so maybe not...”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…” Jaune trailed off, sipping from his drink again. He wasn’t quite sure how to explain it. “Well, when guys fight, we don’t usually pick at the little stuff. It’s the big things that bother us. Guys have this way, I guess, of dealing with conflict. If we’re good friend, for example, we sort of just punch each other and laugh it off afterwards. Girls go low for the belt, and not with their fist, either… Maybe it would be easier if they did.”

“Yang doesn’t usually do that.” Ruby grumbled. “She usually just punches first and deals with the talking later.”

“Yeah, but maybe Blake and Weiss don’t?” He asked quizzically. “Maybe they just fight differently, and whatever happened before just hasn’t worked itself out yet.”

“I don’t know if it ever will.” Ruby said humorlessly.

He felt bad for her, and with a small grimace he knew he had to get her away from the table. Ruby was a nice person, and she didn’t deserve to feel down. A distraction was in order. “Hey, come on. Ren has a deck of cards back at the room. We should get a game going.”

“I don’t know if I’m the best company…”

“If you keep sitting there like that, probably not. You need to be brainless for a while.” He had enough practice with his sisters to know that if he left Ruby there, she’d stay and continue to be in a bad mood. He wouldn’t let that happen. “It’s the only cure for a problem like this. Let’s go Crater Face.” He told her, standing up and grabbing her by the cape. He gave her a little tug when she was reluctant to move. “Don’t make me sic Nora on you, because I will.”

“That really is a terrible nickname…”

“No worse than Vomit Boy.” He told her. “I wasn’t kidding bout Nora. I really will send her to come get you…”

“Alright, alright.” Ruby told him, the hint of a smirk pulling at her lips. “You win…”


	13. Chapter 13

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XIII **

Yang felt like she was finally settling into a routine. It had taken a little longer than she would have liked. Finishing her homework early that day made her more relieved than she would have let on. Her scroll chimed, reminding her than she needed to hit the gym. As much as she wanted to, she just didn’t have it in her to train today. She turned off the alarm lethargically, and fished out a dark chocolate candy bar from underneath her pillow.

Ruby’s book snapped shut as she jumped off of her bed and stretched. “Well, that’s finally done. Come on, sis, let’s plays some games.” Ruby said, wagging her scroll in her hands. “We still have that tie to settle from back home.”

“I don’t really feel like it right now.” Yang said, laying on her bed idly flipping through the pages of a magazine.

“But we haven’t played any games since we came here.” Ruby told her. “You know how fun it is.”

Yang sighed, willing away her sour attitude. Ruby needed to make some real friends, but she just couldn’t work up the courage. Yang knew that if she paid any attention to her sister, even a little, Ruby probably never would. It felt mean, but her other attempts hadn’t worked out. She had tried talking to her sister before initiation, but that had only hurt Ruby. It hadn’t helped. Ruby wasn’t taking the hint, but another blunt talk just wouldn’t do anything to fix the issue.

“I’m kind of tired, and I feel like crap besides…” She said, when Ruby continued to wait for an answer. It was the truth too. She was exhausted, and she just wanted a little quiet time.

“Really?” Ruby murmured, as though she couldn’t believe it.

“Really, really.” Yang said while flipping another page. “You know my period takes it out of me.” All she wanted was a little space away from everyone.

“Yeah, but being active helps, right? We should do something.” Ruby deflated, and Yang knew better than to look over at the pout she was receiving. “It’ll make you feel better to move around. So, how about just one game?”

“Nope.” Yang murmured, adjusting the heating pad laying over her midriff. “I’m just going to chill, sis. If you want to hang out, grab a book and come up here, if that’s too chill you’re out of luck. Maybe go see if Jaune wants to play a game or two.”

“What is it with you always pawning me off on Jaune?” Ruby asked. “It’s like you think he’s my boyfriend or something.”

“Would it really be a problem if he was?” Yang asked her.

“Kind of.” Ruby murmured, edging away from that conversation. Her nose wrinkled at the thought. She didn’t like boys in that way, at least, she didn’t think she did. “I don’t like him like that. He’s okay I guess, but I don’t want him to be my boyfriend…”

“Uh, I don’t think you need to worry about that, Ruby. I’m pretty sure he’s got his eyes set on Weiss.” Yang said while turning another page. “Either way, he’s a good guy. Plus, he likes you. You’d make good friends. You need to hang out with people.”

“I have you, though…”

“People who aren’t me. Ruby, I’m your sister, not your best buddy.” Yang said as she closed her magazine. “We’re always going to be close, always, but you need to be your own person. You can’t do that if you keep hiding behind me all the time. You were fine on your own at Signal, and you’ll be fine here too. Now go make nice-nice with someone.”

Ruby sighed, dropping down to the floor and padding off, closing the door behind her.

God, she really felt like crap, and in more ways than one. Yang closed her eyes and sighed, dialing the number to reach her father’s scroll. It took him only a moment before he picked up, and once he did, Yang let loose. “You know, dad, you need to have a talk with Ruby before I lose my mind…”

“Hello to you too.” He grumbled under his breath.

“Yeah, hi.” Yang sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Sorry, I’m just in a mood, and I feel like I’m going insane over here. It’s like I’m talking to a brick wall, sometimes.”

“That bad?” He asked, munching on something, most likely his dinner.

“You know how she is.” Yang told him, causing her father to sigh at length.

“I know how she is...” He agreed quietly. “I was worried that she was too young to be in Beacon.”

“I don’t know if that’s the problem dad.” Yang told him. “I think it’s more the fact that she’s just not good at keeping friends. She never has been, and she isn’t trying very hard, either.”

“Why not?”

“Because her teammate is a snooty pain in the ass, and that’s getting to her.” Yang grumbled before collapsing backwards onto her bed.

“Snooty, how?” Taiyang asked seriously. “She isn’t being bullied is she?”

“Ruby, bullied? Not on my watch, you know I don’t take that from anyone.” Yang bit out darkly before sighing. She closed her eyes and let out another slow breath. “It’s not a bully problem, I’d handle it if it was. You know me.”

“Yep.” Taiyang said, popping the word. “I know you well enough to know that. So, what’s wrong then?”

“They just don’t mesh well together.” Yang explained, rolling over onto her side restlessly. “Weiss has been more than a little mean about it, but she’s not completely to blame for this. They’re driving each other completely bat-shit. The problem is, that just ends up driving me bat-shit too. I keep trying to get it into Ruby’s head that just because we’re a team, it doesn’t mean we all have to be best buddies.”

“And knowing, Ruby, she disagrees.” Taiyang concluded.

“Yeah, Ruby doesn’t see it that way.” Yang told him, plucking at the wrapper of the chocolate bar aimlessly. “I don’t know what to do at this point. Don’t get me wrong, I love her and all, but she’s just so frustrating sometimes.”

“I’ll be honest, it would have better for the both of you to be on separate teams.” Taiyang said before she herd more crunching in the speaker. The rustling of a bag followed. “As a father, I was relieved to find out that you were on the same team, but I know that can’t be easy for you. You’re sisters, it’s normal to fight sometimes.”

“Yeah, well, what do you want me to do? Just nod my head and go along with this?” Yang refused to do that. She had a life to lead outside of the team. “The classes are hard enough without trying to keep Ruby entertained on the side. There are some really cool people here, but trying to get Ruby to see that is like pulling teeth.”

“Try to give her a little more time.” He said. “She’s always been this way, you had to know that Beacon wouldn’t change that instantly.”

“Yeah.” Yang sighed. “I know. Am I being unfair?”

“Yang, life isn’t fair, that’s a fact.” Taiyang told her, taking a swing of something that Yang knew probably wasn’t water. “You’ve always been close, but if you feel like you’re suffocating, then that isn’t good for either of you. Up until now, you’ve always had your own space. You need that space at Beacon too, and Ruby will come to learn that. It just takes time.”

“Yeah, well in the meantime, I feel like an asshole.”

“Now you know how I feel whenever you girls find trouble. You think I like arguing with you two whenever you disobey my requests?” Her father said mildly. “Yang, sometimes you’ve just got to be firm with her. Ruby’s persistence will serve her well in life. I won’t say that it doesn’t make some matters more difficult, though. Sometimes, you just have to be firm.”

“Yeah…” Yang grumbled. “Firm… Right…”

* * *

“Remedial training!” Weiss bellowed. “Ruby Rose, what is the meaning of this?!”

“Don’t go blaming her.” Yang said with a shrug. It wasn’t the first time Ruby had been given remedial training in the past, and Yang doubted it would be the last. “You’ve got training too, Weiss. It’s normal.”

“You _all_ have training.” Glynda said stiffly for the second time. “This isn’t an isolated incident. You’re all in need of additional help.”

“This is obviously some form of a mistake.” Weiss said as she looked over to the visitor that had put a dark cloud over her seemingly good day. “Professor Goodwitch, with all due respect, there is no way I could have scored so low on any of my tests.”

“What about applied learning, Miss Schnee?” Glynda Goodwitch posed, watching Weiss shrink visibly under her gaze. “You might know most of the correct answers in theory. However, if you cannot apply those things in practice, they mean nothing. What you believe to be true lacks actual experience, and this reflects in your test scores.” Then she looked the girl up and down, before nodding to herself. “It’s a common problem among students such as yourself, and one Beacon constantly corrects.”

“What, if I may ask, did I fail so horribly?” Weiss asked, still feeling affronted for lackluster grades.

“Your huntress related scheduling is among the lowest, at least when compared to your peers. It comes from an obvious lack of experience in the field. Your transcripts reflect this as well. Take comfort in knowing it comes as no surprise to myself, or to the rest of the staff.” Glynda remarked. “Needless to say, it’s a concern that needs to be addressed. Rest assured that this remedial training will do strictly that.”

“Oh, I get it, you totally flunked your survival test, didn’t you?” Ruby deadpanned, already knowing that Weiss had. The absolutely murderous glare she received from Weiss only further proved her point. “You did! You totally did!”

“Says the girl who bombed everything in general education.” Yang snickered, ruffling her sister’s messy head of hair. “So what about me?” Yang asked. “I’m pretty sure I didn’t flunk anything.”

“You’re lacking classes related to field medicine, Miss Xiao Long.” Glynda replied as she looked over all of the girls. “Hilariously enough, you even managed to graduate from Signal without having passed basic first aid. This is a requirement for almost all students. Mind telling me why that is?”

“Err…” Yang looked away, scowling at the bad memory. “Yeah, about that, my aura was classified as weaponized in my first year at Signal. I wasn’t allowed into the basic health and first aid class.”

“As I expected.” Glynda replied. “Aura such as yours can be deadly. Signal doesn’t have the facilities to handle weaponized aura in a medical setting. Furthermore, the kingdoms find it unlawful to force a child with weaponized aura to use it for healing properties. It’s a danger to everyone involved. That being said, Beacon does have the facilities, and you are lacking the course. It is a requirement for all Beacon students to have the course credit before their second year in attendance.”

“Wait…” Ruby asked curiously. “Why?”

“Next semester you will all be training under certified medical professionals in the art of medicine.” Glynda told her. “During your second year at Beacon Academy, you will name a field medic who will continue that training onward until graduation. This is a requirement, and that is not an option.”

“No, no, no.” Yang shook her head. “I don’t think you get it. I can’t even do something basic, like touching aura with another person. Back at Signal, I accidentally set my partner’s clothes on fire. If it hadn’t been for her aura, she would have had third degree burns. I can’t take the class.”

“Hence why Signal allowed to you graduate without the class.” Glynda replied. “Any specialized institution such as Beacon Academy would properly train you upon arrival.” She sighed, glancing around to the wayward team RWBY. “I want to make it very clear to you, Beacon Academy prides itself for having a difficult curriculum. It’s quite common for all first year students to have at least one class that they falter in. That’s why we have mandatory tutoring programs. In profoundly alarming cases, such as yours Miss Xiao Long, the teachers take it upon themselves to provide extensive training.”

Producing four sheets of paper, she handed out each one. “While we don’t make a habit of putting such sessions onto permanent records, we do make considerations for school related events and missions. These are your adjusted schedules. This will last until your assigned faculty members says otherwise.” Some rubrics were more extensive than others, Ruby Rose having the longest tutoring schedule out of the four. “I expect you’ll be on time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more unfortunate news to dole out.”

As Blake numbly closed the door, she caught a glimpse of Glynda knocking on the door across the hall. It seemed as though team JNPR didn’t make it by unscathed either. The dark haired girl leaned heavily on the door once it closed, gripping the sheet of paper in her hands.

“What remedial classes are you forced to take?” Yang asked, watching as Blake stiffened before turning away.

Golden eyes drifted down to the paper. She needed three courses, but one of them made her stomach turn uncomfortably. Habitual Mating. The bold print could be incriminating. She folded it up and clutched the paper tightly. “I’ve got three. Remedial first aid, huntsman law, and…” Blake grumbled as she looked away. “…sex education.” That it was Faunus sex education was something she pointedly chose to omit.

* * *

“If my father finds out about this, he’ll be so angry.”

“Thankfully, I do not intend to inform him.” Glynda said, sitting at her desk as yet another student came to dispute the training sessions that she had been ordered to take.

“He’ll find out somehow.” Weiss told her. “He always does.”

“If he were to try, he would find himself unable to do so.” Glynda told her. “Beacon does not release frivolous reports of that nature, not even to parents. There is no reason to inform him of standardized training.”

“He wouldn’t see this as frivolous, ma’am.” Weiss didn’t even want to consider what her father might do. “I assure you that he would not. I would be pulled from the academy immediately. I can’t let that happen.”

“Miss Schnee you must understand. Beacon Academy is nothing like the schooling found in Atlas. Students attending Beacon come from all walks of life, and our core curriculum is not that of a simple finishing school.” She began to explain, tenting her fingers upon her desk. “We do not turn away a student who shows promise, but, that being said, it raises issues. In your case, you have no prior experience in the field.”

“Is it really that obvious?”

“More than I think you’d care to admit.” Glynda nodded simply. “Most first year students require remedial training in one form or another. This is no fault of your own, Miss Schnee. It falls onto your tutors, and the kingdom’s laws in Atlas. They are not the same as our own.”

“I didn't just have tutors. I was trained heavily by my sister, who just so happen to be a specialist in her field of expertise.” Weiss told her. “Are you honestly going to tell me that her training was lackluster in any way?”

“I know of Winter very well. You might consider that we are friends, and that I have a firm understanding of just what Atlas Academy chooses to teach. She is one of the finest military specialists that I have ever come to know. That being said, she is not a huntress. Her credentials, while impressive, are very different.” Glynda wasn’t sure that Weiss agreed, but, she knew one thing. The girl wasn’t yet ready to take on missions. “At Beacon we focus on different goals.”

“Professor Goodwitch, I understand what you’re saying, but there is no way that I could possibly be so far behind others in my class.” Weiss told her pleadingly. “My training was extensive, and I assure you, I will not fail.”

“Extensive training and the correct type of training are not mutually exclusive.” Glynda said to her. “All students require at least a perfunctory knowledge of what it takes to survive in the wilds without the aid of military technology. Your upbringing completely removed you from that knowledge, and now you must attain it. Remedial training is the only hope you have to keep pace with your peers. The courses only last a few weeks, strictly to cover the bare minimum that you may have missed during your other academic endeavors.”

“There’s no way to get out of this, is there?”

Glynda raised a brow at that. “Winter trained you, or so you claim. Have her call me. If she is willing to agree that remedial training is not required, I will not force you to take the class.”

Winter wouldn’t do that. There was no way she would. Weiss bit her lip, and swallowed down a mouthful of anger. “I can’t do that.”

“Then I will see you at class, Miss Schnee.” Glynda told her.

* * *

Jaune held a cold compress to his eye as the swelling in his face began to go down. Glynda Goodwitch had called another match before he was even able to dent his opponent’s aura. Meanwhile, his had dropped into the red, another low mark to end out the day. With the most remedial classes out of everyone he knew, and low rankings across all studies, he was having a bad time.

“It doesn’t look so bad.” Ruby said, leaning on a nearby wall in JNPR’s dorm room. “It’ll heal up in another hour or so.”

“It really hurt.” He muttered under his breath. “How did you learn to fight like that?”

“My uncle trained me.” Ruby said, shrugging softly. “I didn’t mean to kick you that hard. I thought you’d have your aura up.”

“I’m not so good at that yet.” He muttered. “Why do bruises take so much longer to heal than cuts?”

“Because the blood rises to the surface of the skin, pools there, and stays there.” Pyrrha replied, not looking up from her book. “It’s a larger surface area, so it’ll take more time to heal when your aura is so low.”

Jaune grumbled, tossing the cold pack away as he sighed. “That was a stupid way to lose a fight… Getting kicked in the face like that… Man….”

“You’ll get better with time, the professor told you that.” Pyrrha told him. “Not everyone who comes to these academies went to combat school. Huntsmen have many practical applications in the field. Grimm extermination is only one avenue of many. You’re not the only one that’s low when it comes to combat rankings.”

“I’m the lowest in the class.” Jaune said morosely. “That’s just bad any way you look at it.”

“There will always be someone better than you, Jaune.” Pyrrha replied as she closed her book. She felt bad for him, but, she also saw his potential. “If you focus on the rankings, you won’t improve. If you want to increase your score, you need to apply the things you’ve learned. I’m not on the very top of the rankings either. Given my history, what does that say about me?”

“You’re in the top eight.” He muttered unhappily, getting up to leave the room. “It means you could kick my butt without even trying. I’ll be back. I need some air.”

The door slammed behind him. Together, Pyrrha and Ruby could only sigh.

“Poor Jaune…” Ruby murmured, not entirely sure what to do about what had just happened. “I really didn’t mean to kick him that hard, I swear.”

“It’s not your fault, Ruby.” Pyrrha told her. “Jaune just isn’t acclimating well to Beacon.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know.” Pyrrha turned in her seat, glaring at the door sadly. “I should probably talk to him, but I have no idea what to say. I don’t even know what kind of school he attended before this.”

“It couldn’t have been a combat school, could it?” Ruby told her.

Pyrrha only shook her head. “I don’t think so. If I had to guess, he was probably in focused on academics before Beacon. Either way, Beacon accepted him. Maybe he’s just trying to get used to things.”

“I hope so.” Ruby said, but deep down, she didn’t really believe that.

* * *

Uneasy alliances had begun forming for the four women of team RWBY, subtle though they were.

Weiss had decided to take it upon herself to help tutor Ruby in all of her basic scholastic endeavors. She feared that the allotted remedial classes on Sundays would not be enough to bring the girl up to speed. Blake felt the same sort of responsibility when it came to Yang.

“I don’t know about this, Blake.” Yang said scratching the back of her head. “You don’t have a first aid credit either.”

“Not yet, but, I’m going to test out of it.” The woman replied as she sat cross-legged on her bed, Yang sitting across from her in the same pose. “I know all of it, it was part of my training. I just don’t have any transcripts like you do, so I technically don’t have the class.”

“Blake, I could literally set you of friggin’ fire.” Yang said again, her palms feeling sweaty as her nervousness took over. “You get that right? I could really actually almost kill you or something.”

“Yang, you have to know how to use your aura to disinfect wounds.” Blake replied slowly. “When I was a kid, I tripped on a broken wine bottle. I sliced up my hand and part of my wrist. There wasn’t any first aid kit where I was. No doctors, no help. If the people I was with didn’t know how to help, I would have bled out and died right there on the spot. If a wine bottle can do that much damage, what do you think a Grimm can do?” Blake shook her head at the thought. “You have to know how to do this.”

“I can’t be the team’s medic, Blake.”

“I’m not asking you to do that.” Blake sighed with exasperation. “Healing bones, mending muscles, breaking up blood clots, keeping an organ from failing, those are all advanced procedures. Not everyone can do that, and those that can have actual medical training. You need to know the basics, though. We all do.”

“Then what do you want me to do?” Yang asked helplessly.

“We will have to start small. Try to touch your aura with mine without burning me. Start with a finger on my palm, a slow trickle of aura, not too much.”

“You’re not going to let me back out of this, are you?”

“No, I’m not.” Blake pressed. “So just get it over with.”

Yang took a slow breath in, closing her eyes and taking a breath. Her aura buzzed gently, as it ghosted across her body, fading and reappearing as Yang tried to keep the activation as weak as possible, something she wasn’t used to doing. She had only ever used her aura at full blast. A full body shield to protect her from injury. Trying to call upon her aura for anything else was a daunting task. Especially when she only sought to gently implore it to do something other than igniting her semblance.

She had gotten older though. More adept at aura control, so she mustered the strength to beat it into submission. Centralizing her aura into her fingertip, she weakened the flow further, until not even a glow remained. She could already see the hint of smoke. A gentle little wisp of it wafting upon the air. She pulled her aura back even further, until even that was gone. Swallowing hard, she looked to Blake’s outstretched hand, her palm offered upward at the ready.

It only took a moment, but even that was even that was enough.

“Holy shit!”

They both recoiled, Yang falling backward as Blake crumpled in pain. “Blake? Blake! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. _Shit_. I’m fine.” Blake protested through as wince. “Damn this hurts. It’s like touching a hot coal.” She grumbled though gritted teeth.

“I burned right through your aura, didn’t I?” Yang said, grabbing the burn ointment from the shelf just above her bed. “Let me see.” She grabbed Blake’s wrist, unfolding the woman’s fingers to see the damage. Blake’s hand smoldered, the two aura acting like oil and water. Yang doused it in the cream, her aura dissipating under the white liquid. The red mark left behind would blister, there was no doubt, but it wasn’t the worst damage Yang had ever done. Breathing a sigh of relief, she began to rub in the ointment as carefully as possible.

“Aura isn’t supposed to do that.” Blake groused, her teeth still clenched. It hurt. It hurt more than she ever could have imagined.

“My aura is more like ignition fluid for my semblance.” Yang said, meeting Blake’s gaze with her own. “That’s why I get so hot when I’m angry.”

“Your semblance is fire?” Blake asked, assuming it so. She’d seen Yang light up enough.

“No, that’s just a byproduct. That's why I don't try to give it to anyone.” Yang said softly. “My semblance is more… No, never mind. It’s not important.” Looking away, she forced a small laugh. “I don’t know if I’ll ever learn not to burn people. I don’t even know if that’s possible.”

“It has to be possible.” Blake told her, flexing her hand as she reached for a metal canister to place on the bed. She opened it, grabbing a square of gauze to wipe away all of the extra cream Yang had glopped on. “Aura is…” Blake paused, biting her tongue. “Aura is the manifestation of the self, the soul.” She had superb control of her aura. As a Faunus, she felt keenly aware of it. Perhaps more than others. “Even aura that hasn’t been awakened acts to protect the body from harm.” To her, it was part of her instinct, her heritage, and her faith.

“Yeah, well all mine ever does is hurt people. That’s why it was called weaponized in the first place.” Yang grumbled, as she took the wad of gauze from Blake’s good hand to help clean up. After a few gentle passes, Yang sighed. “This looks bad, Blake.”

She shrugged. “It’ll heal in a few days, no biggie.”

“Yeah, well it still shouldn’t have happened.” Yang retorted, guilt dousing her anger as she crumpled the square and threw it away. “I’m sorry…” Then she grabbed another square to cover the wound and used the medical take to keep it there. “I wish I could say it’s a good as new…but…”

“Yang, it’ll be fine.” Blake said again, putting away her small medical supply tin. Then she reached for one of her books, leaning back and flipping open a page to cool her own exasperation. “It’s my fault anyway. You warned me, and I should have listened. Instead, I pushed you into it, and I got what I deserved.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason for the double post is because I'm going to be busy for the next few days, and tomorrow will be so busy that there won't be an update. I'm giving you the content now so that you have it.
> 
> I repeat, go back and read chapter 13 if you haven't already. 
> 
> Chapters 13 and 14 are going up today.

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XIV **

Even as the hours passed, Ruby continued to focus on her studies. People were calling her a prodigy for getting into Beacon, but that was as far away from the truth as they could have gotten. It was ludicrous, not to mention embarrassing. Her teachers called on her expecting grandiose academic statements, which she simply couldn’t provide. In combat class, she struggled among her much more powerful class members, sitting in the middle of the class rankings.

Fighting a Grimm was one thing, taking on a fully trained combat academy graduate was another. While it was true that she was much younger, and therefore had something of an excuse when matched up against any opponent, she still felt lacking.

Her heart sank as she looked over at Weiss, who had breezed over the entry level academic material. In saying that, so had Yang and Blake. Ruby bit her lip as her pen shook in her hand. Everything on these pages were supposed to be review. For the older, more experienced students, it probably was. For Ruby, everything was new material, things that her classes back at Signal hadn’t covered yet. They probably wouldn’t have until her senior year.

When it came to Grimm studies, she was able to manage just fine. Her economics class on the other hand…

“That’s wrong again.”

“What’s the right answer then?”

“Look it up.”

“Look it up where?” Ruby shouted in the private study room, her voice echoing off the walls. “If you don’t tell me, how am I supposed to know?!”

Weiss licked her lips to keep from screaming back. “Giving you the answer solves nothing. You have to find it.” Weiss said, plucking the paper out from under Ruby’s grasp. “This isn’t even about having a miscalculation somewhere. You don’t even understand the question.”

“I’m doing the best I can.” Ruby said, snatching the paper back, crinkling it as she smashed it back down onto the table to finish answering the question. “I came here to learn how to dispatch Grimm…not do…whatever this is.”

Weiss sighed at length, frowning as she shook her head. The girl just didn't get it. “Ruby, you’ll never be able to help anyone if you don’t understand basic economics. Money and power are the footholds in any society, but not every village is able to self-sustain. When it comes to some places, Grimm are the least of their problems. However, where negativity gathers, Grimm gather too.”

“So you take out the Grimm.” Ruby said bitterly. “Problem solved.”

“Perhaps, until the next one comes along…” Weiss sighed airily.

“Then you kill that one to.” Ruby pouted. “And the one after that…”

“That does nothing! Without being able to spot a long term solution to a village in despair, then the Grimm will return. It’s inevitable.” At that, she picked up Ruby’s homework and placed it in her workbook, closing the hardcover and pulling all of it away from her young team leader. “Ruby, you’re looking at these questions from the perspective of a huntress.”

“I _am_ a huntress.”

“Not yet, you aren’t.” Weiss replied slowly, her eyes glistening with cold rage. “You’re a child trying to be a huntress. There’s a difference, had you had better learn that distinction quickly.”

“You can’t even pass the survival exam. You don’t even know how to tie the right kind of knots.”

Weiss had had enough. Activating her semblance, she pinned Ruby to a glyph, lifting her from the chair, and pinning her to the nearest wall. “Shut up and listen to me, Ruby. I’m trying to help you.” She hissed with venom. “Economics isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the people those number influence. If you want to help people, then you must first be able to understand the problems going on. That’s why classes like these are important.”

“And what if you don’t know what the answer is?” Ruby shot back. “What if you’re only a huntress, and that’s it?”

“Then you find a way to figure it out.” Weiss said slowly. The coldness in her tone hard and biting. “If you can’t accept that, you shouldn’t be at Beacon. I told you before, this isn’t just your average run-of-the-mill combat school. We’re here to fight monsters. If you really believe that Grimm are the worst thing out there, then you really are just a child. You need to open your eyes and see the bigger picture. People die every day, and most of the time, Grimm aren’t to blame. They only get attracted to the sadness as a result.”

Ruby visibly scrunched up under the admonishment, and Weiss cringed when she realized that Ruby wasn’t taking to her lesson with the same sort of zeal that she expected. Helping Ruby to keep her grades needed to happen, but not if it meant utterly crippling the girl with her words.

Lowering Ruby from the glyph, she sighed.

“Look, take an hour and go clear your head. Eat some cookies or something.” Weiss told her. “In the meantime, I’ll copy my notes from class for you. That way, you’ll have something to actually look at.”

“…I don’t think it’ll help, Weiss.”

“It would if you payed attention. Beacon Academy is an adult’s institution, you need to grow up fast if you want to be here.” Weiss told her. “I’m not trying to be mean, Ruby, I’m just telling you the way it is. You just need to stop faffing about, and get serious.”

“I am serious.” Ruby said, but it sounded weak underneath all of her self-doubt.

“Then show me that you are.” Weiss told her, her fingers pointing upon the learning materials to make a point. “No more drawing stick figures and playing with your pencils in class. Take notes, engage in class discussion, and actually listen to what’s being said. These are all things you should have learned to do in Signal. If you don’t knuckle down and get it done, you’ll probably be drop-out by the end of the semester.”

“Yang plays around even more than I do…”

Weiss rolled her eyes at this. She noticed that too. “Ruby, you need to understand something. Yang learns differently than you do, and you can’t compare her antics to yours.”

“I don’t see why I can’t.” Ruby said, her tone frustrated, borderline angry. She had been trying so hard to understand the material. She’d been working so hard to be at the level of everyone else. “Yang is always toying around in class, but her grades are always so good. I just don’t get it.”

“Every student has their own method for learning, and she learns by repetition.” Weiss pressed, leaning heavily over the table to reach for a few books off to the side, sitting back down, she patted the seat beside her. Reluctantly, Ruby sat back down. “Yang’s just as driven and focused as I am. She’s just driven in a different way.”

“I don’t get how, though.” Ruby pulled her knees up, curling up in the chair. “I know she’s had trouble in class before. I’ve seen her totally bomb tests and get tossed into remedial classes. So why is she doing so good right now? Why can’t I keep up?”

“She studies probably twice as hard as you do, Ruby. Furthermore, she’s learned the skills to do it effectively.” Weiss said then. “Instead of note taking, she records everything on her scroll and listens to it while she works out. She’s restless, of course she’s twiddling around in class if it helps her to concentrate. When you play around, you don’t actually retain anything. Furthermore, you disrupt the learning environment. It’s not the same for you, as it is for her.”

“Well, then, what do you think I should do?”

It was a good question, a near perfect one, actually. Still, Weiss didn’t know what sort of advice she could even give. Ruby was working with the odds stacked against her. Weiss only knew what worked for her. Her study method was as simple as it could be. She hit the books for long hours, forcing herself to concentrate until she couldn’t study any longer. “Honestly? I think you’ll just have to power through it.”

“I’ve been _trying_.”

“Then you have to _keep_ trying.” Weiss paused, suddenly feeling like her sister’s words had poured out of her mouth.

It was a strange sort of word-vomit in retrospect. The very same cluster of words that had tormented Weiss endlessly during Winter’s harsh training, was now about to be inflicted upon Ruby. The heiress felt her chest clench under the weight of it. That was the last thing she wanted to do. Weiss didn’t like to be reminded of her own lapses in education, most notably her semblance training, which felt like one failed attempt after another.

Every Schnee that was born into the bloodline had the family semblance. With a little training, every Schnee could call upon the creatures that they had slain, commanding that power as their own. Every Schnee could do it, everyone except for her.

She still couldn’t summon anything from a glyph, and worst of all, she still visibly recalled Winter’s disappointed gaze aimed directly at her. It was the last thing Weiss wanted to remember. In that moment, however, Weiss found a small twinge of clarity.

Something vague, that she wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

“Ruby…” Weiss sighed at length. “You’re only fifteen.”

“I know…” Ruby said. “I turn sixteen next month.”

“Put that into perspective.” Weiss said as gently as she could. “Trust me, it matters.”

“It doesn’t seem like it, Weiss.” Ruby told her honestly. Looking as small as she possibly could while slumping back down in her chair.

“It does, far more than you think.” Weiss insisted. “You skipped two entire grades to attend Beacon. Everyone else is seventeen and older. We’ve had more training, and more time to learn. This is university level material, it’s not made for you. Therefore, you have to make yourself made for it. You have to reach that level, Ruby, and that’s not an easy thing to do.”

“How do I do that when I just screw up every single class, Weiss?” Ruby asked her softly, a hitch hitting her voice. “I’m bad at everything.”

“Not combat training, you’re smack dab in the middle of that class. What about Grimm Studies? You’re in contention with Pyrrha for the number one spot. Most importantly, you’re in the advanced program for survival training. You’re the only one on our team who is. Worst still, I’m in the bloody remedial tutoring class. Do you realize what an insult that is for someone like me? Do you have any clue at all?”

“Yeah but I’m screwing up everything in academics.” Ruby told her. “Like everything, even math. I’ve never been this bad at math before. I’ve always bombed history, but never math. Never like this.”

“Ruby, you may not realize this, but you excel at everything required for you to slay Grimm. They are the hardest classes, without fail. Unfortunately for you, that alone isn’t enough.” Weiss pointed out. “Beacon isn’t made to be easy. We’re all struggling, we’re all being tested to our limit. It’s not just you.”

“It feels like it sometimes.” Ruby told her. “It really does. It’s like no matter what I try, I’m just not good enough.”

“If you really feel that way, then you need to become good enough. If you feel like you aren’t, then you need to find it within yourself to reach that level of skill.” Weiss told her. The statement came from pure, hard earned experience. The sort that came from a harsh reprimand for every tiny failing, and the demand to do better. She could have crumbled under the weight of it all...

She could have, but, she didn’t.

“There won’t be easy answers, or fast solutions.” She told Ruby with the sort of self-deprecating honesty that could only come from such tragic realizations. Life would not be fed to her on a silver spoon, not from anyone. Most certainly not her older sister, Winter carved her own path ruthlessly, and encouraged Weiss to do the same. To do it for oneself, and not anyone else. “It’s going to be difficult, Ruby. You have to accept that some subjects won’t come easy to you. You just need to put in the time and the effort, and that’s all there is to it. I will help you, but _you_ have to put in the work.”

* * *

Ruby had an extremely long list of remedial classes, and several of them included Professor Goodwitch. There were some occasions where she would literally follow the teacher from one classroom to another, purely because that was simply how her schedule lined up. To get from the main building one of the other halls, Ruby needed to pass by the courtyard. That afternoon, she couldn’t help but take notice of all the ships releasing passengers onto the academy grounds.

“Professor Goodwitch, who are all these people?” She asked, side stepping several piles of luggage that waited to be collected.

“Students, just like you.” Glynda told her, nodding in the direction of several young men and women who bowed to her as she passed by. “Beacon prides itself as being a foremost academy for those looking to slay Grimm. However, because academies like ours are the absolute authority on such topics, we offer other types of degrees as well. Those huntsmen are pursuing doctoral degrees, something that can only be attained once an accredited hunter’s license has been acquired.”

The men and women were dressed simply. A black shirt and matching cargo pants were the only things the students seemed to wear. A crest Ruby didn’t recall sat surely upon the back of every shirt. “That’s not the Beacon uniform, though.” Ruby murmurs under her breath. Glynda’s ears manage to pick up the question anyway.

“That is the casual uniform that was agreed upon by all four kingdom academies. Like you, they have a more formal uniform as well. They are expected to wear it during class, but, you will likely never cross paths with these men and women. We do not house fully trained huntsmen with regular students.” Glynda told her. “They have their own facilities located within Beacon’s Spire, a place you would never be permitted.”

“I’ve never even heard of something like this.” Ruby said, nearly running into the glass door that Glynda held open.

“There would be no reason for you to know.” Glynda said. “The pursuit is by invitation only. To attain a doctoral degree, you must train under the best of the best. These students spend a single year at all four huntsmen academies, learning from the brightest minds that every kingdom has to offer. To top it all off, they benefit from having the headmasters train them personally.”

“Woah…” Ruby murmured, rubbernecking as the door closed behind her. She jogged a bit to catch up to the professor. “That’s so cool!”

“That’s one word for it, I suppose.” Glynda murmured, stopping at the first door on the left and unlocking it. “If you think that your training is difficult, you’d never survive theirs. Only ten percent of all practicing huntsmen actually receive an invitation to obtain a doctoral degree. Only one percent of those actually go on to attain it. Most will drop out or die while trying to reach that lofty goal. It is not a simple ambition.”

“Let’s say I wanted to get one…” Ruby said. “What would it take?”

“Well, you would have to graduate within the top ten of your graduating class, and you would need to gain the headmaster’s personal approval to attend the program.” Glynda told her. “You have a long road ahead of you, if you wish to do something like that.”

* * *

Weiss crumpled up another terrible progress report. She couldn’t understand how she could possibly ruin her grade in survival classes so badly. She nearly shredded her instruction manual before she took a long, slow breath. There had to be other ways to pass the class. One that didn’t involve losing her sanity in the process. She simply had to figure out how. That was easier said than done, though.

“Weiss, that’s a tarp.” Ruby muttered. “It’s not a tent. You can’t force it to be one… Well, not like _that_ , anyway…” The poor tarp was crumpled and tangled, a mess of twine knotted in the middle as Weiss tried to force it to have any sort of structural integrity on its own.

“How in the world would you know that?”

“You really never went camping before, have you?” Ruby couldn’t believe it. Camping was as natural to her as breathing, and an important skill for any huntress. As she leaned over to see the mess that couldn’t even be called a shelter, a small part of her actually pitied Weiss.

“Why would I need to go camping?” Weiss told her. “I’m a Schnee, I’ve never had to build a shelter before." 

“Well, you’re not building it right. The tarp goes on the ground…” Ruby said, pointing at the black waterproof tarp that Weiss was attempting to turn into a tent. It was far too flimsy to provide cover unless it was the peak of summer. Even then, Ruby doubted it would stand up to high winds.

“Why would I put a tarp on the ground, Ruby?” Weiss shot back, looking at Ruby as though she had grown a second head. “I have a sleeping bag…”

“Sleeping bags aren’t water tight. There’s a zipper.” The younger girl shot back. “You put the tarp on the ground so that you don’t get wet from the rain, or the morning condensation that collects on the ground.”

That was the last straw on a thinning rope, and Weiss snapped one of the reeds in her hands as she sulked. “Why doesn’t the manual say that?!”

“Because you printed that thing off the internet, and it’s useless.” Ruby sighed then. “Most of that stuff is for families who camp in safe areas. Wilderness campsites are nothing like the wilds.”

“Yes, well, perhaps you could point me to more serviceable material then.” Weiss murmured.

“Or maybe you could just ask for help.” Ruby shot back with a shrug.

“I’m sure I can figure this out on my own.” Weiss told her. “How hard could this possibly be?”

“The way you’re doing it?” Ruby asked her. “Probably impossible. Even if you were going to make a tent out of a tarp, you can’t do it with reeds. You need to put it on a low hanging branch and secure the edges with rocks so that it doesn’t blow away. Otherwise it will just flap in the wind. Besides, that tarp is too small to do something like that with it. That's a tarp for kids, Weiss.”

“Bloody instruction manual…” Weiss cursed under her breath. Ruby could still hear it though, along with a continued string of her unhappy mutterings.

“It isn’t very difficult to make a shelter. You just have to weave the thin sticks between the thick ones. If you do it right, it makes a wall. If it’s not going to rain, you can just use the tarp to keep the wind away while you sleep. If it’s a long term place to live, you can cover the wall in mud and leaves to keep the cold air out. Then, if you have a second tarp, it goes on top. If you don’t have one, you have to build a roof yourself using tree branches and whatever else you can find. It can’t be heavier than the walls, or it’ll cave in.”

“You’ve never done that.” Weiss shot back. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I have done it before. It’s not really that hard.” Ruby told her. “My uncle made me do it.”

“We have tents for this kind of thing.” Weiss bit out. “Why on earth would I use mud and leaves? That’s nowhere near sanitary.”

Ruby just rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to burst your bubble, but when you’re cold, hungry, and exhausted, you’ll sleep anywhere. I really mean that. Sometimes just keeping your back to a thick tree is all you have. Survival isn’t about comfort, it’s literally about making it through the night so you don’t die. The class isn’t about when things are going right, it’s supposed to teach you what to do when things go wrong.”

“You’re bluffing.”

“Uncle Qrow made me do that too, in the middle of winter by the way.” Ruby told her honestly. “I thought I was going to freeze when my fire died on me. When the sun finally came up, my lips were blue. Dad was ready to kill him.”

“Did you really do all of that?” Weiss deflated, and Ruby jumped down off of her bed. She plopped down on the floor and grabbed a hand full of long reeds.

“Just watch me.” She said, expertly weaving the reeds through a few of the longer sticks that sat upright. “See, like this. Over, and over, and over, until you have a tall enough wall to shelter you when you’re laying down. The smaller the shelter, the warmer you can keep it. The tarp goes inside so that if it rains you don’t get soaked. It’s best to make the shelter smaller than the tarp so that you can prop the edges of it on the inside to keep the rain and cold out.”

Ruby looked up, seeing Weiss scribbling down notes furiously, and she shook her head and grabbed the notebook away.

“Hey!”

“Stop it.” Ruby told her, ripping the piece of paper in half and tossing it aside. “If you want to get a good grade, notes won’t save you. This is something you learn by actually doing it.”


	15. Chapter 15

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XV **

As a group, living together proved to be eye-opening experience. While they could all agree that they could co-exist peacefully if they tried, it took great amounts of effort from all of them. A routine had set in, the unsteady, unspoken truce reminding the girls that they really weren’t friends. Aside from the sisters, they might just as well be enemies. The team composition wasn’t their choice, and Beacon was proving to be a challenge.

The school work was difficult, and remedial classes were absorbing extra hours out of their day. Ruby was getting overwhelmed with the paperwork, and Yang was just bored with it. The blond was tuning out more and more as the days passed by. Combat training was grueling, leaving Weiss completely drained and more acerbic than usual. Blake was the only one who outwardly seemed to take it all in stride, but the fractures were there clear as crystal. Her snippiness knowing no bounds if she happened to be interrupted while trying to relax.

On top of everything else, the tiny living space proved to be frustrating for the four women.

Although they did their best to adjust to this new way of life. Some of them were more willing to fly off the handle than others. In fact, when it came to the sanctity of the dorm room, the most explosive arguments came from Ruby and Yang. Their sisterly warfare was as loud as it was obnoxious. When they decided to disagree with each other, the war could last for hours at a time. Flying pillows and headlocks were the least of their issues when they truly got into it.

Blake watched as Ruby stormed out of the room after one such verbal battle that Friday evening. It was awkward from the perspective of an observer, but Blake suspected that such disputes were actually fairly normal among close family. Having no siblings of her own, she had no real way to confirm it. However, it seemed that there was no real malicious intent coming from either sister.

It was just a difference in opinion, and nothing else.

Her gaze lingered on Yang, the blonde muttering curses under her breath as she began to pick up the remnants of a destroyed pillow.

“What are you gawking at?” Yang asked hotly, her eyes still an impressive shade of red. There was rage there, sure, and it was the first noticeable emotion on Yang’s face, but it wasn’t the only one.

“Nothing really.” Blake brushed away the question, returning to her book. “I was just wondering if you would actually catch fire this time.”

Yang glared at her before rubbing her eyes. Her argument with her sister didn’t extend to other people, but it wasn’t as if Blake had anywhere else to go. She had been an unfortunate bystander, and nothing more. “My semblance isn’t that bad.”

“I never said that it was.” Blake calmly stated, not even bothering to look at Yang.

“You eluded to it.” Yang spat out, feeling all the more annoyed for it.

“You’re right, I did.” And with that single biting remark, Blake closed her book. “What little I have seen of your temperament leads me to believe that you’re a hothead.”

“Brilliant deduction.” Yang said as she finished picking up the clumps of fluff from the now discarded pillow. Looking down at the trash can, a somewhat nasty look crossed her face before she averted her age again. “What’d you do, learn that from one of your spy books?”

“Cool it, I didn’t mean that as an insult.” Blake told her gently. “It was an observation, nothing more.”

Yang blinked, red turning to lilac before she smirked. Her annoyance still there underneath her humor. “You said that because I can catch actually fire, didn’t you?”

“That, and most of my belongings are flammable.” Blake reminded her. “The two of you get loud when you argue. When you start yelling, I have to wonder if I should find some other place to read or not.”

“It’s your room too, it’s not like I’m going to kick you out.” Yang said, using Blake’s bed as a stepladder to get to her own. She hoisted herself up, disappearing entirely from Blake’s gaze.

“Why do you argue so much with Ruby in the first place?” Blake asked, causing Yang to let loose a long suffering sigh.

“We’re sister.” Yang deadpanned. “We fight sometimes. That’s the way it works.”

“I get the feeling there’s more to it than that.”

“Well aren’t you the super sleuth…”

“You could continue to be a smartass, or you could tell me what’s really bothering you.” Blake replied. “The choice is up to you.”

Yang was quiet for a while. Blake thought that Yang might be ignoring her, so she hunkered back down and began enjoying her reading once more. Ears fluttering ever so gently under her bow, she fluffed up her pillow and began to dive back into her sultry romance between two sailors lost at sea.

“You really wanna talk about that?”

Blake sighed as Yang’s voice permeated her thoughts once more, destroying what little relaxation Blake had grasped onto. “If it will help, then yes, I do.”

“I can’t escape her. Ruby’s like this little red homing device that just won’t stop following me.” The bitterness of that statement aside, Yang felt guilty enough for feeling that way. It didn’t make the statement any less true, and although she loved her sister, she felt as if her freedom had been taken away. “I figured when I finally came to Beacon, I’d have more control over my own life. I’d go out with my friends, find my own routine… You know, just be myself.”

Daft though it might have been, Blake found herself blinking owlishly in confusion. Head cocking up at the mattress above, her golden eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “And you can’t do that, why?”

“Because of everything…” Yang lamented.

“That’s an enlightening answer.” Blake groused.

“Ruby’s attached to my hip all the time, and she won’t go away for like five seconds.” Yang sighed, flopping down uselessly on top of her pillow, rattling her bedframe as she did so. “It’s just that I see her morning, noon, and night. We’re on the same team, so we do everything together.”

“The same can be said for all of us…”

“Blake, humor me a sec here.” Yang said, kicking her feet, making more rattling come from the top bunk. “I mean, think of it this way, we literally have the same schedule. We see each other all the time.”

“Right, and that’s any different from the rest of the team?”

“No, I mean like _all the time_.” Yang reiterated. “It’s to the point that every morning we’re shitting and showering in the same allotted team space. Our weapon lockers are separated only by yours and Weiss’s. We eat together, sleep together… I can’t take all of this… _togetherness_ … It was never like this back at home. We did our own things, Blake. We had our lives, and doing things together was awesome because it was a choice we had. We weren't forced into it. Dad never made us, we were so close because we wanted to be.” Yang sighed at length. "It doesn't feel like that now."

“It’s not like she has a choice in any of that, we’re on a regimented schedule. Everyone does all of that around the same time.”

“But what about after our schedules clear up? You and Weiss go off to do your own thing. I can’t without a feeling like a piece of crap, because Ruby comes up with some asinine thing to. Don’t forget all of the team study or training sessions.” Yang complained, grabbing one of her stress balls and squeezing it until the green goo bulged from one of the sides. “Sometimes I just need to go out and have some fun, but I can’t do that, because Ruby's so attached. She wants to go too, and I feel like garbage when I say no.”

“Uh-huh…”

“Before I came to Beacon I was a few grades ahead of her. No shared classes, no shared team, and no shared dorm. I had friends of my own, things to do, people to see… Ruby and I had some space apart… I _need_ that space. I'm going crazy.” Yang huffed then, throwing the stress ball against the fall wall hard enough that it bounced back to her. The green goo sloshing violently inside. “I keep trying to break it to her gently, but she just doesn’t get it… Or she doesn’t want to get it… I don’t know which one it is.”

A thought crossed Blake’s mind. “Couldn’t you just go to the student center? They do have a few places to relax, not to mention the common room we share with the team across the hall.”

“Yeah, if you like sipping soda and munching on chips, they’re a great bunch.” Yang looked down from her perch, the awkward angle making her look at Blake while upside down. “I want something with a little more kick. I’m used to a certain way of life. You know, getting out, blowing off steam. I can’t do that here. I mean, what’s so bad about hitting up the bar after a long week of hitting the books?”

“So, what you’re saying is…” Blake licked her lips, thinking the prospect too good to be true. “If I got you away from the school for a little while without her following after you, tomorrow you and Ruby wouldn’t have another warzone?”

“Uh, yeah…” Yang blinked. “More or less. A little space does wonders. Why?”

“I could read in peace?” Blake said then, the question in her tone dire. “No interruptions, not even one?”

“Uh, I guess?”

“And you would do everything in your power to keep Ruby and Weiss out of my hair?” Blake pressed pointedly. “No random dust explosions or study related accidents? No fighting in the room, or getting dragged around? You would make sure I have peace and quiet for a few solid hours?”

“It’s a moot point.” Yang said, hoisting herself back up to her bed properly. “Ruby isn’t going to let us leave the campus passed curfew..”

Blake looked up to the clock. With a long suffering sigh, Blake rolled her eyes and grabbed her wallet. “We have an errand to run, and after, you’re buying me my drinks…” She said without any further thought on the matter. “Come on, Yang, watch and learn.”

Yang was skeptical, but followed as Blake exited the room and walked down the long passageway of dorms. At the end of the hall was a set of common rooms for their floor. One of the was an allotted space for teams RWBY and JNPR. Inside Ruby was pouring over one of her books. A cookie rested against her lips as she thoughtfully read the page. It was such a common sight by now, and one that Blake willingly disturbed when she placed her hand onto the table, drawing Ruby’s attention.

“I have a currier mission down in Vale that I have to take care of.” Blake said, laying down her scroll for Ruby to look at. “It shouldn’t take more than a few hours, I want to take Yang with me.”

“We didn’t receive a mission.” Ruby said. “Did you take one off the board?”

Blake shook her head. “As part of my scholarship, I have missions to complete on a regular basis. Nothing hard, just odd jobs here and there. This time I have a delivery mission. I’m going no matter what, but I’ll be out passed curfew. I’m taking a private flight. Yang offered to help, and as my assigned partner, she’s has clearance to join me if she wants. She just needs approval from the team leader. If it’s all the same to you Ruby, I could really use the help.”

Ruby thumbed through the mission file. It was a simple drop-off for dust and combat dummies. “You’re going to one of Signal’s warehouses? Hmm.” Ruby scratched her head. If it really was an official mission issued by the Beacon, she didn’t see the problem. The teachers had obviously given Blake the order. Then she looked up at her surprised sibling. “Just don’t fight with anyone, Yang. I won’t cover for you if get into trouble.”

* * *

Yang grunted as she bent down, grabbing another container of dust. “I thought you were lying through your teeth.”

“Obviously not.” Blake replied.

“Kind of wish you were, or that you at least warned me.” Yang said, hoisting the heavy box and carrying it to the van a few feet away. “Talk about grunt work. Signal had missions with menial labor too. I thought doing the janitorial stuff sucked, but this has it beat. What a pain in the ass.”

“Grunt work or not, the pilot isn’t set to take off again until eleven. The faster you finish helping me haul these boxes, the more time you’ll have to order that drink you wanted.” As she said this, Blake already felt the sweat beginning to collect on her forehead. “If it makes you feel any better, I appreciate the help.”

“You did take this off the board, didn’t you?” Yang asked, another thick box already in her hands. “What, need the pocket money or something?”

Blake only cursed as she set down another heavy crate, careful not to shatter the glass containers on the inside. “No.” She leaned on the wall of the truck to catch her breath. “It was an assigned mission, I had to take it. I didn’t exactly have a choice. I wasn’t lying about that.” Her eyes trailed over the Schnee family logo that was plastered across the wooden box, the word fragile plastered on all sides. She stared at the boxes for a long time, old memories cropping up.

“So what kind of scholarship did you get in on?” Yang asked. “I got a partial for tuition since I'm a kid of huntsmen, and small grant from Signal for being in the top four in combat. Ruby got a full scholarship because of some sort of gifted program…”

“I'm on a low income scholarship.” Blake said, giving another version of the truth. Her particular scholarship was aimed directly at Faunus for the outreach program. Sadly, Blake suspected it probably wouldn’t exist at all if more Faunus had access to higher wages. “The details of my scholarship say that I have to take these sorts of missions. Technically, I don’t owe Beacon a single lien after graduation, but, that’s because I’ll be doing missions like these.” Blake went back to work, making her way over to another box, examining it carefully before lifting it. “I mean, really, what does this teach you, outside of box stacking?”

“Good point.” Yang said, dropping down another box. “What do we have left, like thirty more?”

“Anything in the cargo area.”

Yang cast her gaze back across the threshold, seeing the rest of the shipment. “Son of a bitch…”

Yang’s body was built like a workhorse, only gaining more momentum and strength with every box she carried. Her semblance hard at work to give her the energy she needed. She could see Blake moving steadily as well, but not nearly as fast as Yang. If she had been doing this on her own, it would likely take a good majority of the time allotted for her to complete everything, and that thought made Yang pause.

“You didn’t seem like you were in a rush to leave Beacon, Blake. How would you have done this on your own?”

Blake only shrugged as she grabbed another box. “The same way you are. I’d use my semblance to give me a hand. That’s a little tiring though, and I don’t like doing that for reasons such as this.” Then checking over her inventory, she smirked at Yang. “Having you help me is just easier, and it’s also going to accomplish what you wanted, is it not?”

Yang rolled her eyes. Blake Belladonna was a mystery she just couldn’t figure out. No matter how hard she tried, Blake avoided answering the deeper questions. It was frustrating on a personal level, sure. Yet, Yang couldn’t deny that her partner had achieved what Yang couldn’t. In the spirit of reaching her destination more quickly, Yang tossed herself back into the task at hand.

They worked in relative silence after that. Occasional words of instruction making their work experience go smoothly. Small-talk seemed to cut off entirely. It wasn’t as if Yang didn’t understand why. Blake wasn’t a sociable person. She chose to be alone, and although she could be friendly enough when she wanted to be, often times it fell down to that core issue. Blake didn’t want to be friendly with others, she didn’t want to mingle, and kept her affairs personal and private.

As her partner, Yang struggled with every detail, even failing to pick up on the woman’s moods from time to time.

Frankly, the dark haired woman was hard to read. Her beautiful golden gaze held a world of emotion deep within them, Yang doubted that she would ever be granted the luxury to know the details behind them.

After they finished unloading the cargo, Blake and Yang walked the streets of Vale. Blake insisted on leading the way to the bar she wanted to go to, promising the cheapest drinks and entertainment that money could buy. Assuring Yang that the blonde wouldn’t be disappointed in the choice, the lilac eyed woman had followed diligently, even if the route Blake took seemed unfamiliar. Finally, they came to a stop in front of a somewhat tall building Yang had never visited before.

“This is it.” Blake said, reaching for the door.

Yang put her hands into her pockets as she looked up at the seemingly normal establishment that Blake had brought her to. “What is this place?”

“You’ll see.”

“You know, when I was talking about going drinking, I was thinking more along the lines of a nightclub.” Yang said as the black haired woman guided her through the door. “Where’s the bouncer, and what about the cover charge?”

“There is no bouncer, and here you don’t pay a cover charge here. I wouldn’t even say this is a nightclub…far from it, actually.” Blake explained as they stood in the foyer of the establishment. There was a place to hang jackets and coats, leading the way to another set of doors. It was what lingered on the other side that left the brawler speechless. “What’s the matter Yang?” Blake asked, her eyes sparkling in amusement. “Are you too juvenile to appreciate the décor?”

Although the blonde was sure that the barb was meant to be in good humor, there was some level of honesty in the jibe too. She looked around the room, the tones set with pale blue lights and soft music. “Uh…” There were small empty stages, and tables stationed around them. Yang had never been to a strip club before in her life, but if she had to assume, this is what one might look like. “So, uh, where are the poles?”

“Poles?”

“Yeah, you know…for the…” Yang shrugged, suddenly feeling out of place as she leaned in closer to speak her mind. “You know, the strippers.”

The Faunus gave Yang a long look before the assumption clicked in her mind. It took a few moments longer to form words. “Strip-? What? No… _Yang_.” Blake began, shaking her head at the completely wild. “The large stage showcases the musicians, and the smaller stages are for the performers.”

“So, this is a strip club…”

Withholding a growl, Blake grabbed Yang by the back of her jacket, shoving her into the nearest booth. “Sit down, and shut up.”

“It was just a question.”

“A stupid one.” Blake chastised, her voice intentionally low enough not to be heard by the other patrons. “Don’t come to those sorts of conclusions on your own.”

“So, how are we going to order drinks here?” Yang asked her. “We’re under age.”

“What, do you honestly believe that you’re the only one who knows how to find places that serve alcohol to minors?” Blake asked her before rolling her eyes.

“Uh…” Yang squinted at the woman across from her before shaking her head. “No, I just…”

“It’s fine Yang.” Blake said then. “This place isn’t exactly the sort that will care how old you are. It’s a Faunus establishment, and culturally speaking, drinking age begins young. Faunus are like the people of Atlas that way. It’s not exactly legal in Vale, but with all of the unrest happening, places like these where humans and Faunus gather peacefully under one roof are left to be ignored. If the council closed places like this down, the fighting would be even worse.”

“Oh, so it’s a ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’ kind of thing…” Yang said thoughtfully. ”Nice.”

“Just don’t get trashed, Yang.” Blake warned her. “If the police pick you up for acting like an idiot, you’ll still be arrested and charged for underage drinking. Plus, probably drunk and disorderly conduct too. They patrol this street for easy pick-ups. The staff will deny ever serving you anything, and Vale’s council will say this place is above board.”

“So stop at three, gotcha.” Yang said, putting her thumb up in the air. “This place is a lot like the bar I go to then, I guess.”

“I doubt that.” Blake said with a small knowing smile. Making herself comfortable, she switched on the table's small light, casting it in a gentle purple glow. When the waitress came by in surprisingly normal attire, they both ordered their drinks.

“Blake…” Yang said slowly. Their orders seemingly surprising one another. “Just a bottle of vodka, really?” Yang asked, not thinking the dark haired woman as the type to drink so heavily.

“Tequila sunrise, really?” Blake parroted back, stabbing a piece of pineapple that had been soaked in wine. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

“No reason.” Yang shrugged as she looked around the room a little more. “It’s just, I’m a little confused, that’s all.”

“I see that.” Blake said with a smirk. “You’re the type to want instant gratification, and around here, you have to wait for the prize.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means shut up, drink your drink, have some fruit, and wait your turn.” Blake told her, watching as several performers began lighting torches.

“The ceilings are kind of high…” Yang murmured offhandedly.

“There’s a reason for that, the entire roof has been covered in vents.” Blake told her yet again, seeing Yang nearly jump out of her skin as a colorfully dressed performer walked on by. The man paused, using the flame to light the four small fire pits around the stage directly in front of them, and placing down a wooden step ladder before bowing and moving onto the next table. Yang’s gaze followed the young man covered with bright colored paint that shimmered in the firelight. The table he stopped at next table. It had a family of four sitting at it, and while the children sitting with their parents weren’t particularly young, they obviously weren’t drinking age, either.

“What is this place, Blake, some sort of whacked out carnival?”

“If you have to know, it’s a corporate mission center…a rather unscrupulous one at that. There are places like these all over Vale.” The woman said, pouring herself another shot, and tipping it back in one fluid motion. “By day, a lot of hot to trot businessmen with more money than sense come here. They like to set up missions for cheap manual labor outside of the cities, the kind that don’t always need a licensed hunter. Other times, they’re trading employees. I’d be lying if I said that those small stages weren’t for exactly what you supposed they were earlier.”

“So it is a strip club!”

“Not in so many words. Faunus can be thought of as a fetish, though. Think arm candy for social events, not oversexualized fantasies come to life. Although, I’m sure some of that comes into play too, behind closed doors.” Blake sighed at the thought of it all. Another tragedy of city living. “In any case that’s only during the day. At night, this place kicks off as one of the primer hotspots for ritual dancing, mostly the ones native to Mistral and Vacuo.”

“Isn’t that a Faunus thing?” Yang asked curiously, her voice strangely hesitant.

“A common misconception, although, I suppose it was popularized by the media to seem that way. The villages don’t have the kind of technology that these big cities do, they find other ways to entertain themselves. Sports, dancing, things like that.” Blake felt the question that had been plaguing her mind stab into her tongue like hot coals. Begging to be released from the confines of her mind, and out into the open air. “Why do you ask, you’re not a racist, are you?”

“No…” Yang said slowly, averting her gaze. “It’s just that I don’t really see a lot of humans defending Faunus in Vale. I didn’t really think there’d be a place like this, you know…considering how things are, and all.”

Blake frowned at the downcast look that such an accusation earned her, and she mentally smacked herself. She wouldn’t have sought Yang out as a partner if she thought the woman to be a Faunus hater. Even so, she hadn’t been sure. Since outing herself wasn’t an option, she chose the next best way. That it backfired only proved how foolish she’d been. She swallowed hard as she poured herself another shot, looking deeply into the clear liquid.

“It’s a shame more city folk don’t give places like these a chance. Food and drinks are always cheaper in places like this, mostly because they cater to hunters and traveling villagers. Although, that being said, a lot of Faunus are likely to gather here too, simply because of the prices. Most humans probably hate that.”

“Oh, why is that?”

“Because Faunus get paid shit for wages, they’d come here because they can afford it.” Blake said, forcing herself to sound almost uncaring of the matter. “Traveling hunters get pretty rowdy when they want to, I’d imagine places like this would appeal to them. That’s why I brought you here, I thought maybe it’d be up your ally, so to speak.”

“Doesn’t really seem like it.” Yang said, looking around again.

“It’s true, it might not right now, but wait until things amp up.” Blake said with a shrug. “Dancing is a family thing in villages. It turns into a real party.”

“You know a lot about this, Blake.”

“I’m a tightwad.” Blake smirked, and it wasn’t a lie either. Still, she was almost astounded that Yang hadn’t figured it out. “I don’t like spending money when there are cheaper alternatives.” Then again, she also surmised that the blonde wouldn’t likely make possibly offensive assumptions. Accusing a fellow human to be a Faunus probably ranked fairly high on the list of forbidden conclusions to come to.

For most people, thinking a human might be a faunus would be the worst sort of insult.

She needed to put those sad thoughts aside. “Anyway, I was trying to save your wallet.” Blake said with a smirk. “I was raised outside of the kingdoms. I can pound them back like a pro, when I chose to. Since I’m not paying, I’ve decided to let loose a little. Be thankful, it's rare that I do any drinking at all.”

Yang nodded, but a thought had come to mind. “You know, I used to have a lot of Faunus buddies on Patch. They were all guys though, and we didn’t go to the same school.” Yang said, her eyes drifting upward, sitting face to face with Blake. She toyed with her straw. “I think Faunus on Patch don’t really leave the island unless they have to. Once you get into Vale, people turn into assholes. I never really understood that.”

“It makes perfect sense to me.” Blake said as she leaned forward to take another piece of fruit. “It’s the same in the villages outside of the kingdom. Faunus in the big cities have to deal with discrimination because the people within the walls are relatively safe. They can choose to be discriminatory because they’re not in any real danger. The villages and islands can’t be that way. They don’t have the defenses or the supplies to just push people away…Faunus or not.”

“Wouldn’t you think it should be the other way around?”

“Villages that survive Grimm attacks are the ones with food, drink, and able bodied warriors. Most Faunus have night vision, they're natural born nighttime fighters. Any village would want them as a first line of defense when the power goes out and its pitch black outside. Even places that do hate Faunus still end up living with them because of Grimm. As the saying goes. Any enemy of my enemy, is a friend of mine. They're going to tolerate Faunus because the Grimm will always be worse.”

“So, then, you did these dances often at home, huh? You danced with them I’d bet…” Yang said with a smirk as she reached for her first piece of fruit. The apple slice was sweet as it touched her tongue. “Oh, hey, does that mean that the Faunus in your village taught you how to fight?”

“Yes. They did.” Blake replied once again, not entirely lying. She had been trained to do battle by her Faunus brethren.

“What village did you…” The question died out as several Faunus jumped down from the rafters, landing deftly on the lit stages. A dark skinned leopard Faunus with beautiful markings knelt down before her viewers. The other dancers at the other stages seemed to do the same with the tables in front of them. “Woah…”

“Honored guests, if you would like to join in the festivities, please take off your shoes and socks and join me on the stage.”

“Wow…” Yang breathed, turning to Blake. “She’s joking, right?”

Blake smirked, feet already bare as she padded across the wooden walkway and up the small set of stairs nearest their tables. “Two choices, Yang. You can sit there and gawk, or you can learn to dance. We have an hour before we go back to Beacon, the choice is yours…”


	16. Chapter 16

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XVI **

Her mouth was like cotton, and her head hurt. Tell-tale signs that she’d drank copious amounts of liquor. Reaching up to the top of her head, she examined her bow, noticed that it was still firmly placed as she glanced around the room. It wasn’t even light out yet and she sighed, recalling why exactly she hated drinking heavily so much. When they’d gotten back to Beacon, their teammates were already asleep. Looking at the clock, she saw the numbers that truly weren’t favorable.

It was only a little after six in the morning. Too early to be of any use to anyone, and with a little groan she got up from the bed and put on her slippers. She felt the fatigue in her shoulders as she stretched uncomfortably. A quick walk to the common room and a plastic bottle of water in hand later, she began feeling less like roadkill. It was a good thing too. Saturdays were a lecture day. Professor Port followed by Professor Oobleck back-to-back.

Gulping down the last bit of water in the bottle, the plastic crinkled as she crushed it and tossed it in the recycling bin. She grabbed another bottle of water for the room. Padding back to the dark room, the grey of morning was just starting before sunrise. Setting the water bottle against the wall in the corner of her bed, Blake climbed in, closing her eyes and trying to sleep. When that failed, she pulled out her book and a small clip-on book light, relaxing against her pillows as she enjoyed one of her favorite series. Although she didn’t need it, the light itself was a precaution, a way to further instill her little ruse of being a human.

As a Faunus, she found it more annoying than helpful to have such a bright light splashing across the page, but she put up with it, if only that she wouldn’t have to answer any unwanted questions later.

“Morning Blake.” Yang yawned, rolling over to look down at the woman beneath her.

“Morning Yang.” Blake said quietly. “Go back to sleep, it’s still early."

“Nah, I’m good.” Yang said, hopping down from her bed. Never let it be said that Yang Xiao Long couldn’t hold her liquor, because she could. She could go shot for shot if she had too, having endured her uncle’s firm training on the consumption of such beverages. “I’m going to wash up and get ahead on my homework. I’ve got to brush my teeth before Ruby wakes up anyway.”

“Oh?” Blake asked.

“She doesn’t really like knowing that I drink alcohol. That’s a story for another time.” Yang said waving her off. “I’ll be back later.”

Qrow had forced her to learn the demons of a huntsmen for her own protection. Every good huntsmen could down a drink or two, or so he often told her when he poured drinks for her back at home. Yang held no illusions about her chosen profession. She was a woman trying to stand tall among what many still considered to be man’s work. It was dangerous for anyone out in the wilderness, but it was particularly dangerous for women returning home from that wilderness.

Huntsmen and huntresses alike spent long days alone, left to their own solitude. They had to be strong and resilient to hardship. Once they returned to civilization, many craved the touch of another, and that was to be expected. Women had to be careful when attending the sort of bars huntsmen frequented. As her uncle had once told her, people became hunters for a reason…

Reasons that sometimes made them unfit for civilized society on bad days.

The hunter world was a medical nightmare, filled with sexually transmitted diseases, mental illness, and addicts with predispositions to fall off the wagon. It wasn’t a kind profession. Often, it was the thankless sort, silent heroes dying in the shadows, without the world knowing just what had been sacrificed for the greater good. Yang had to admit, that had obviously been the case with Summer Rose. Hunters that died never made headline news, it was too common an occurrence. No one knew, and most wouldn’t care.

Normally, it was only the ones with bounties on their heads that made news at all. As tragic it was, even Yang had come to accept that little detail as the natural way of things.

Her father and her uncle were two men that embodied such statements. Men who were heroes, but wounded deeply by the line of work they chose to continue. Knowing their personalities, as well as her own, she could understand the inherent aggression firmly engrained in a hunter’s mentality. Men and women coping the best they could, both sexually and otherwise. It’s why she drank mixed drinks instead of straight liquor. Always keeping a clear head, even when she drank.

She recalled her night on the town with Blake. A smirk crossing her lips. It had been one awesome night.

Once the drums began to beat and the fiddles started playing, more people poured in from the streets, people she knew had to be huntsmen and huntresses. Faunus gathered in mass too, and she easily noticed once they also climbed onto the stages surrounding her. In spite of all of that, her eyes found themselves almost glued to the woman dancing at her side. Blake expertly swaying her hips and moving her feet in a manner that was well practiced, and Yang struggled to keep up.

Blake had been beautiful, and there was no denying that.

* * *

Training to be a huntress was hard work, even for the most studious attendees at Beacon. Everyone who chose to enter the academy for huntsmen, knew that they would be put through the ringer. The harsh physical training was in Yang’s wheelhouse, and she took to the insane training regime in stride, even adding hours to stay in top condition. Pyrrha Nikos seemed to spend an equality long stretches of hours at the gym. The two women pushing each other to do better. A friendly rivalry that extended beyond unarmed combat on the training mats.

“You’re not getting tired are you, Yang?” Pyrrha asked with a smirk.

“Not on your life.” The blonde shot back as her feet carried her nowhere on the treadmill. According to the panel, they’d run about three miles, and now they could begin to cool down. “I just want to let it be known right now, I hate long-distance running.”

“Duly noted.” Pyrrha replied breezily, her lungs pulling in gulps of air effortlessly. “Perhaps if you didn’t make me do deadlifts, I wouldn’t make you run.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Yang asked. “Pyrrha, you’re really hot when you’re all flexed out like that. Everybody watches when we sling iron around.”

“It’s tiring.” Pyrrha protested.

“And this isn’t?” Yang shot back.

“Touché.” Pyrrha laughed. “This is a different kind of tiring though.”

Yang nodded, pulling out her scroll. “Good session and all, really, but I think I’m going to cool down with Port rattling off in my ears.”

Pyrrha nodded. “I think I’ll do the same. Thanks for the recording by the way, it’s been very helpful for helping Nora review.”

“No problem.” While she was running, she made a grab for her scroll. Going into her audio player, she clicked one of several recordings that she had collected over the week. It played in her ears for the umpteenth time, but Yang didn’t let that bother her. She glanced over to Pyrrha, who now had her own set of ear buds in. The woman murmuring important things under her breath. Yang smirked as she slightly lowered her grueling pace, as if lowering it any less would amount to weakness.

As Professor Port’s speech was beginning to drone on, it was interrupted by her ringtone. Without slowing down she answered the call.

“Make it fast, I’m in a studying session.” Yang said, slowly lowering the speed on the treadmill a little more.

“Ruby skipped dinner, didn’t come to our studying time, and never showed up to the combat class room. She never showed, even though Blake reserved the space for weapons training.” Weiss explained with no small amount of exasperation. “She won’t answer her scroll either.”

“Sounds like typical Ruby to me.” Yang replied. “Don’t sweat it, she probably just left her scroll around the room someplace by mistake.”

“That’s no excuse for this sort of truancy. If she wants to cancel something, she should do it properly.” Weiss complained, feeling aggravated all over again. “I’m going back to the room now to see if she’s there, but if not, you should probably go look for her.”

“Nah, if Ruby doesn’t want to be found, she won’t be.” Yang slowed her treadmill just a little bit more. It was almost time for her remedial class, and she crinkled her nose at the thought of it. “Shit, I’ve got first aid in an hour with Peach…”

“Consider yourself fortunate. I’d much rather that, than to suffer listening to Port for another survival lecture.” Weiss groused. “Why is he my instructor?”

“I’d switch professors with you if I could.” Yang said, as she began checking her schedule. “Going to be a busy couple of weeks by the looks of it.”

“I’ll be glad if it’s _only_ a couple of weeks.”

“Remedial classes don’t last all year, they’re just meant to get everyone up to speed.” Yang told her, thumbing along her calendar. “Some people may up in tutoring, but that’s usually taken care of by older students once remedial training ends.”

She hated seeing all of her added activities. The one day off a week was usually Sunday, but remedial classes and tutoring took up half of the day. Tuesday remedial classes took place before the start of the day, and after the end of it. The same could be said for Thursday. This made the learning days longer, and the free time shorter. Team RWBY could feel it weighing down on them after just a few days.

“Yang.” Weiss said. “I found Ruby.”

“Oh, great, where is she?”

“Under the desk.” Weiss deadpanned. “Sniffling by the sounds of it.”

Yang just sighed, slowly bringing the treadmill to a stop, and grabbing a nearby towel. “I’m on my way.”

Hanging up her scroll, she cleaned off her machine, clocked the amount of time she had spent in the gym, and then headed back to the dorms dressed in her workout attire. It was a strange thing to do, and she knew she needed a shower, craving the hot water dearly. Unfortunately, that would be for a later time. Right now, she had her younger sister to contend with. She ended up finding the girl exactly where Weiss had claimed her to be.

“Well, that’s a piteous sight to behold.” Yang said dryly at the sight of a blanket trailing underneath one of the desks.

“She absolutely refuses to acknowledge me.” Weiss remarked, still agitated. “Yang, do something about your sister.”

“Alright, alright, I’ve got this.” Yang said as she leaned heavily on the desk. “Ruby, don’t you think you’ve sulked enough?”

“…”

“Ruby?”

“…”

“It’s no use, she won’t answer.” Weiss said, laying a crumbled test on the desk. “I believe this is the reason why. Look at her score, it’s abysmal.”

“Yep, here we have it everyone. The mythical beast known as blanket lump. The sad little blob that appears out of nowhere whenever Ruby gets a bad grade.” Yang said as she looked under the desk, seeing only a bundle of blankets, and a lump where her sister should be. “Huh, must have migrated off the coast of Patch to visit.”

“Yang, you ignoramus, this is serious.” Weiss hissed quietly.

“Yeah, so what?” Yang bit out. “Been here, done this a trillion times by now. Kind of hard to be worried when it isn’t my first go around.” Yang kicked the side of the desk with very little force. “Rubes, you’ve gotten hard C’s before. Get over it, study, and do better next time.”

“Hard C?” Weiss asked, having never once heard the term.

“Ya know, when you try really hard to get a good grade, and you get a lower grade than you wanted or expected.” Yang shrugged. “Dad calls em’ that.”

“My father would murder me in my sleep.” Weiss muttered under her breath.

“Well, I guess there are worse ways to go.” Yang said as she kicked the side of the desk again. “Remnant to Ruby Rose… Hey, you just going to be a little blob all night, or what? The common room should be free. Let’s go bake something, or play that game you wanted…”

“No thanks Yang.” Ruby murmured.

“Is she ill? Perhaps we should call a nurse.” Weiss suggested. “I haven’t seen anyone behave this way before…”

To Yang’s surprise, Weiss actually sounded serious. “Oh, for god’s sake. She’s not sick, Weiss.” This time, Yang reached under the desk, jostling her little sister. “Alright, Ruby, I’m not kidding. The pity party stops now, you hear me? Quit being a little butthead and say something. The prickly little snow princess is actually worried about you.”

Weiss sighed at length. “Of all the absurd things to say at a time like this.”

“You didn’t deny it.” Yang grumbled at her. “See? Ruby, you got her spooked. Come out from under than blanket, okay?”

“…” There was still no answer.

“Ruby, sis come on now...” Yang warned seriously. “You’re going to piss me off if you keep this up.”

“What if I can’t do better than this?” Ruby asked, her voice muffled from under the thick blanket. “What if I’m always just barely getting by?”

“Then you pass the year with a C or D average, so what?” Yang told her. “Same as Signal, you’ve always sucked at a few classes, this isn’t a new thing.”

“I can’t afford to screw up, Yang.” Ruby protested peeking out from under the blanket red cheeked and puffy eyed. “I tried really hard… Look where it got me…”

“She did.” Weiss deadpanned, still very unhappy with Ruby's grade. She thought it to be impossible. “I was there, she studied.”

“Then you did the best you could do.” Yang shrugged. “Ruby, it’s no big deal.”

“I wouldn’t say that if I were you. Her grade does count for twenty-five percent of our team’s overall ranking.” Weiss added.

Yang shot Weiss an angry look. “Yeah, real helpful.”

“It’s the truth.” Weiss shrugged. “I’m only being honest. We have to do our best to keep all of our grades as high as possible. Twenty-five percent is quite a lot in the grand scheme.”

“Then we’ll get it done, Weiss, but not like this.” Yang said as knelt down into the floor and regarded Ruby. “Dad always says, you can’t be a badass at everything. You have to be a badass with what you know.” The blonde persisted. “You’ve got to pick your battles. This kind of shitty feeling just isn’t worth it. I’m telling you that straight up. You study as hard as you can, and you hope for the best. If you keep getting C’s who the hell cares? It’s still a passing grade.”

“I care.” Weiss retorted. “I need to stay within top marks. I expect better out of her… Frankly, I expect better from all of us…”

“Damn it!” Yang bellowed. “Weiss, shut up.”

“What?” Weiss squawked. “I’m trying to be supportive. Ruby isn’t stupid, she can do better than this…this…garbage!” Weiss looked at the test score like it should be incinerated. “I wouldn’t stay on this team unless I knew for certain that it stood a fighting chance as being rewarded with top marks. She knows the maternal. I’ve drilled it into her brain personally. I’ve seen her write down the correct answers before. This is an insult to all of that time we spent studying.”

“Yeah, well maybe it just didn’t stick.” Yang bit out. “Ever think of that?”

“It might not ever stick.” Ruby sighed. “Maybe this is just the way I am.”

“Or maybe you’re just not trying hard enough yet.” Weiss pressed. “We just have to hit the books harder.”

Ruby didn’t look convinced as she slowly dragged herself out from under the desk. “I have to go clock my hour of fitness for the day.” Ruby muttered, grabbing her small gym bag from the space in the corner. Yang and Weiss watched as the girl exited the room, seemingly more defeated than when Yang had entered.

The blonde was tired too, though. Mentally exhausted and too drained to be of any further help. At least her sister was out from under the desk, but that didn’t feel like the victory she wanted it to be. “Weiss, next time Ruby’s feeling shitty, maybe just leave it to me. I actually know what I’m doing…” Crumpling up the test even further than before, she set it on fire before smashing it between her hands, destroying the evidence. “Peace out, I need a shower.”

* * *

A small and strangely thin book arrived in her mailbox wrapped in plain brown paper. Inside was the newest edition to one a particularly questionably book series. She smirked to herself as she clutched the tome to her chest. Of all of the reading she had ever done, the trashy romances found in Tukson’s back room provided her with the most entertainment. She would have never been allowed to purchase the books on her own. Ninja’s of Love was an adult’s novel, and she was under the age limit to make such purchases. She wouldn’t have even known about the series if it hadn’t been for the long stretches of solitude she’d been forced to endure while staying with Tukson.

Books had become such a large part of her life, and her first curious glance into the ninja’s world had confused her to say the least. She expected action, adventure, and perhaps a little bit of romance. Instead, what greeted her came in the form of patriarchy, devious plots, and lurid sexual fantasies of the homosexual variety. The latter of the three was occasionally so graphic that Blake often wondered what sort of mind could come up with them. She recalled very vividly the first scene she had ever read, and the distinct dissatisfaction she felt when she closed the book, even lonelier than before she had opened it.

Lonely, and aroused… A very befuddling combination.

Now, Blake was more aware of herself. She wasn’t ashamed of feeling that way anymore. In fact, she found it to be refreshing to feel something deeper, something more heartfelt and instinctual. She knew exactly what she wanted in a sexual fantasy. More interestingly, she began to realize what few things could be realistic to ask for in reality. Each and every book in the franchise would threaten to leave her feeling that same sense of emptiness. Wanting and desiring the sort of compassion and completion many of the characters in the story found.

She knew that after the final page, she would probably feel a sense of loneliness. She would notice her own solitude, just as she had before. Some people might have seen that as a bad thing, but Blake didn’t. She found herself excited for another glimpse into the world. Another chance for more self-discovery of the romantic kind. Having consumed all that the series had to offer thus far, receiving a new one to read was completely thrilling.

She wanted to get started right away.

Impishly, she headed back to her dorm room, glancing around and contemplating cracking open the small pocket sized book right there. She eyed the front cover. The tiny book was a spin-off paperback, featuring two minor characters engaged in a sultry lip lock. Thinking what could be between the pages themselves, Blake promptly thought better of it. This would not be a book that she could risk being interrupted with. Grabbing a citronella candle she eagerly headed outside to one of the most enjoyable areas near the dorms. Making herself comfortable, she sat with her back resting against the tree, lighting the candle to keep the bugs away.

That’s where she stayed until the sun set, and the stars began to dot the sky.

“Blake, you totally ditched out on class!” Yang called as she came jogging up the pathway. “You’re going to get in huge trouble if Goodwitch finds out that you ditched out on Peach.”

“I tested out of basic first aid, Yang.” Blake said as she flicked her glistening amber eyes up to Yang’s own lilac. “I told you that I would.”

“How do you even pass something like that without training?”

“I believe the phrase, ‘I’ve seen some shit’ comes to mind. I was trained, I told you. I just wasn’t trained at school.” This earned her an annoyed grunt as Yang plopped down onto the grass beside her, and finally, Blake closed her book. “What do you want?”

“Nothing, I guess.”

“You’re continuing to loiter, so that implies otherwise.”

“I just don’t want to go back to the room yet, okay?” The blonde bit out. “Besides, we’re partners, we should act like it.”

“I was under the assumption that we did.” Blake murmured. “Am I wrong?”

“Well, no, but it seems like that’s all we are.” Yang sighed, fidgeting in the grass. “We’re partners, but I’ve always taken that to mean that you should try to be friends too. It doesn’t always work, I get that. I'm okay if you don't want to be more than that..." Yang said slowly. "I mean, just say the word, and I'll respect your choice. It’s just, we had a good time last night, or at least I did."

"It was pleasant." Blake said slowly. "Although, I don't plan to go drinking very often."

"Then we don't have to." Yang said. "It's that between last night, and something that happened today... Well, it made me realize that if we can’t get along, four years together is really going to suck.”

“What gave you that epiphany?”

“Weiss.” Yang told her. “She was fighting with Ruby again. Or, well, maybe she wasn’t _fighting_ with her _. Not exactly_. She was trying to be helpful, I think, but it just kind of blew up in her face. I guess it just got me thinking, that’s all.”

There was that awkward silence in the air again. Blake felt it pricking against her neck. Every instinct told her to avoid that woman, to never so much as speak her name. Yang seemed to do it so willingly. Blake weighed her options. Really, she just wanted to read. That simple pleasure seemed stolen from her now. “Perhaps you should start from the beginning. I feel like you’ve missed a step someplace.”

So, Yang told Blake about her day. Ruby’s disappointment weighed heavily on the elder sibling. Blake could hear it in Yang’s voice. She could see it in somewhat distant gaze that Yang cast out into the world. Restlessly falling onto her back to look at the night sky. Rolling to one side, and then the other, then sitting up again. Her words were messy, her thoughts jumbling and tied up in knots that Blake had to carefully decipher.

She found it hard to do anything other than bite back her snarl, and push away the idea that the Schnee family were as bigots.

That didn’t matter right now. Blake couldn’t let it matter when it came to listening to Yang rant. Her biased opinion tried to shove against her logic like a battering ram, but Blake did her best to push all of it out of her head. Simply focusing on Yang’s words.

“And then Weiss suggests even more studying, like that’s the answer to all of life’s problems. Could she have been any more tone deaf? Or blind? I just don’t get it, Blake.” Yang complained as she finished her story.

“Well, you might be partially to blame. Your handling of your sister could have something to do with it.” Blake began. “If she sees you doing it, Weiss might feel she should do the same thing. She’s just more verbally aggressive than you are.”

“That’s completely, totally, different.” Yang shot back. “You got to realize, I’ve been there for Ruby from the start. She knows my moods. She knows when I push, I want her to push back. I want to see her find her own way, and I do everything I can to push her out of her shell, especially with me.” Yang rubbed her face, as if that might somehow scrub away the tension. “Yeah, I’m rough with her, but that’s life. It’s rough, and she’s had her own fair share of scrapes to know it…” Then Yang sighed again. “I had it almost taken care of, but Weiss screwed it all up. Sometimes, that pampered little brat really pisses me off.”

“She isn’t wrong, though.” Blake said as she eyed the angry woman in front of her in the dim light of the citronella candle.

“I know, but there’s only so much that one person can take.”

Blake thought on this with her eyes closed. She listened to the crickets chirping merrily, one of them uncommonly close. It was as if it might be hidden in the grass beside her somewhere. Withholding the desire to actually look for the tiny creature, she focused on the problem at hand. “I’m of two minds, and they’re contradictory at best.” Blake began after some thought. “I don’t know if you’ll like either one.”

“Well, what are they?”

“On the one hand, we should expect Ruby to carry her own weight on this team. She’s not the only one having problems. The more we take time to help her, the less time we have for our own studies.” She pulled up some long grass and began weaving them together in search of something to do with her hands. “On the other hand, if we push her too hard, she’ll burn out, and start failing anyway.”

“So, your verdict is…?”

Blake bit her lip. “Everything considered, I personally believe Weiss has the right idea.”

“How in the hell do you figure that?”

“Let me preface by saying, as a rule of thumb, I don’t agree with the way she handles conflict with your sister.” Blake said slowly, trying to make that point known first and foremost. “However, I also believe that Ruby can do better. I think we should expect better too.” Blake mumbled, plucking at another piece of grass to continue her weaving. “Any team would expect that out of her. I think we can and should demand it. She’s our team leader, so in some capacity she represents all of us.”

“Yeah, but all of this is new for her, and it’ll only get harder.”

“Then that’s her problem.” Blake replied. “There’s a limit to the help we can give your sister, Yang. It might sound cruel to say, but if we focus too much on Ruby and let our own grades suffer, that’ll just make it harder on her too. Our grades will affect hers, and vice versa. Team rankings demand the best of all of us. Individual rankings are loosely based off of all four members. The best thing we can do is keep our own grades high, and help her when we can. It’s the best chance we have.”

“Yeah, you know, it’s kind of funny when you think about it.” Yang said offhandedly as she rolled over in the grass. “In the back of my head, I’ve been waiting for the other foot to drop. There’s going to be a day that she’ll be disappointed, and I guess I just don’t want it to be over something like being a huntress. It means too much to her.”

“I’ve been wondering about that. Why Beacon now, why not in a few years?” Blake asked then. “What’s the rush?”

“Hmm.” Yang sounded, exhaling a long breath through her nose. “Nope, sorry, I can’t explain it. Ruby’s…oddly sentimental…or maybe she’s just sentimental enough. Who knows, really? It’s her story to tell, not mine. Hell, I don’t even understand why she tries so hard myself. If I was in her position, I don’t think I would. I think, I probably would have put the whole huntress idea away, if I were her.”

“Well, you might not understand it, and maybe you can’t just take all of her stress away, but maybe…no, actually, I’m sure that she probably doesn’t expect you to.” Blake set aside the knots of grass she had tied together. The whole thing looking like a bunched up mess rather than anything significant. She didn’t mind one way or the other. “The fact that you even care at all, that’s probably enough for her.”

“How can she be okay with just that?” Yang asked, sitting up them. “She has something she wants to do with her life, something that means so much to her she’s putting herself through hell just to get that dream achieved sooner.” Fatigued was an understatement for how Yang felt. If she was exhausted, she knew Ruby had to be to. “If I was working as hard as she is towards something I really wanted to do, I’d be pretty pissed off if no one seemed to care. I mean, what good is success if you can’t share it with others, right?”

“Don’t look at me like I know. You’re talking to a failure.” Blake laughed then. “I’ve never once felt truly successful. I’ve never thought that what I do makes a real difference. I wouldn’t even know what that kind of thing might feel like.”

“Why?” Yang asked gently. “What is it that you want to do?”

“For now…” Blake reached for the candle. “I think I want to go to sleep.”

“Aw, come on. That’s not an answer.”

“It’s as much of an answer as you’re going to get.” Blake shot back, already standing to leave.

“Can’t you at least leave the candle?” Yang said, already warding off a few fluttering insects. “The bugs will eat me alive otherwise.”

“It’s my candle, and it’s late. We should both go to bed.” Blake told her with a smirk. “Besides, you won’t solve anything by glaring into the night sky anyway.”


	17. Chapter 17

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XVII **

Another day of training, another day of hard work with little in the way of results. Weis sulked at her desk. Professor Port had given her an assignment that seemed complexly imbecilic, yet here she was looking at the items he had given her. The first had been a blank art book with thick piece of paper inside. The second had been roll of tape. The last object was a thin metal case containing colored pencils. He had tasked his students to go into the Emerald Forest and collect samples. Under his supervision her classmates wandered the wood, drawing pictures and collecting data.

Weiss spent the time, trying and failing, to truly understand the meaning of any of it.

“I feel like I’m being treated as a child.” Weiss told Ruby. “I fail to see what taping leaves and coloring upon paper have to do with anything.”

“A lot, actually.” Ruby said, laying across her bed on her belly. “Learning to draw has practical uses, like making schematics or you know, a map…”

“Do not proceed to tell me you draw maps out in the wild.” Weiss told her hotly. “I refuse to believe that for a second.”

“Well, _I don’t_ , but a there are hunters who do. That’s their main job. They take drones and work with geological surveyors to keep maps of the region as up to date as possible. The data gets sent to kingdoms, and the maps on the CCT system get updated. Without huntsmen, your scroll would never be updated with the newest maps. They’d get old, and they’d be inaccurate. Atlas still hasn’t figured out how to bypass the top layers of the atmosphere, so most of the stuff they send flying that high into the sky comes back down. Drones are the only reliable method.”

“Drones are fully capable of taking pictures on their own Ruby.” Weiss told her. “Atlas is home to the best technology in the entire world. Technology that we share willingly with the other kingdoms.”

“They’re fully capable of running out of battery, malfunctioning, or getting eaten by a Grimm, too.” Ruby said with a smirk. “There are sky dwelling Grimm, you know. Plus, I’m sure the last thing Atlas wants is for a Grimm to eat a high tech piece of machinery. Besides, that’s not the point of the project. To survive in the wilds, you have to know the wilds inside and out. Sure, I mean you could just color a tree, but that kind of beats out the point.”

“God help me…” With two fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, Weiss sighed. “And what _is_ the point?”

“To pay attention.” Ruby shrugged offhandedly. “It’s the things you notice, the little stuff. When drawing anything, the details matter. It’s the same with survival.”

“I see.” Weiss said dryly, looking down at the book. She wasn’t a very good at drawing, she never had been. The wealthy all had some sort of background in fine arts, and Weiss was no different. However, the Schnee family as a rule didn’t partake in messier habits. Her grandfather had found painting and pottery to be useless to his endeavors. Instead, he pride himself as a master of drama, taking the stage often to entertain others with his talent. All of the Schnee’s followed in his footsteps in one way or another. Her background was firmly in musical talent. She could play the piano well enough, but she prided herself on being a vocalist. “Well, once again it seems that I have proven myself completely inept.”

“Don’t say that…” Ruby told her. “It’s not something you’d know about if you’ve never done it before.”

“Regardless of that, it is a fact that I’ve completely misinterpreted the point of Professor Port’s intention.” Weiss stated, her fingers leafing through the pages, and hating her results. “Hey, Ruby, tell me something… When you did this sort of lesson, what exactly did you take from it? What were you able to truly learn?”

“Well, I didn’t learn like you did.”

“What do you mean?”

“Uncle Qrow just sort of left me out in the woods with colored pencils and a pad of paper and said to stay put. I started coloring to pass the hours by…”

“That was the extent of his lesson?” Weiss questioned. “No instruction at all?”

“Besides sit still?” Ruby shook her head. “Not really.”

“Something about the stories you tell concern me.” Weiss said then, scowling. “He seems a bit unstable.”

“He drinks a lot, but he was a good teacher.” Ruby told her. “I did eventually learn a few things from drawing all the time.”

“Like what?”

“I started to build this image in my head of what things should look like and what grows around it.” Ruby said slowly. “Then, when I was wandering around, I started to notice that I could tell when things don’t look right. That’s when I knew that had been my uncle’s plan from the start. That was the point. See, most of surviving means being prepared, knowing what to look for, and avoiding bad situations. If you can do that, you can survive.”

Weiss looked back down to the book, scowling at it. "So I see..."

* * *

She would never let it be said that she was a lazy person, but as she plopped down in front of the television, she guarded the remote control fiercely. Ruby reached for it again in hopes of changing the news channel into something more entertaining. Her plan would fail as Weiss slapped her hand away before Ruby could reach the button. Blue eyes cut across the short distance on the sofa, her warning clear. “Don’t you dare.”

“Ugh, this is so boring…” Ruby complained as she rubbed at her sore hand and rolling her eyes. “When I said we should watch something, I didn’t mean the news.”

“Obviously, you didn’t.” Weiss told her knowingly. “However that’s why I stipulated that if I was to come with you, I would pick the programming.” She had been sure to make that demand, if only so that she wasn’t watching mindless cartoons or whatever it was that Ruby tended to watch.

“Yeah, but I thought you’d pick some soap opera or something.” Ruby told her, stuffing some chips into her mouth. “I didn’t think it would be this.”

“Don’t speak with your mouth full.” Weiss demanded, plucking a chip for herself. “It’s disgusting.”

Ruby took a swig of the small soda beside her, and clearing her throat. “Sorry…”

“Just don’t do it again.” Weiss said dismissively. “I don’t watch much television, and when I do it’s important to stay up to speed on current events.”

The news broadcast was full of social upset and crime sprees. A few notable figures rambled on about kingdom politics, and a few pedestrians reacted to a local charity drive at one of the small coffee shots. A new chocolate was making headlines for being Faunus friendly, the little round treat even had pointy ears. For every purchase, part of the proceeds would go to Faunus programs around the kingdom.

“That’s a really good idea.” Ruby said, trying to find something positive about the experience.

“It won’t last long.” Weiss told her. “People will forget their generosity soon enough.”

“Well it’ll be nice while it lasts at least.” Ruby shrugged, finding mild entertainment when a small puppy was paraded around the screen, the details for the adoption agency displaying across the bottom. “Oh, he’s cute.”

“He is.” Weiss said with a nod. “We weren’t allowed to keep pets in the home, or I would have liked to get a dog.”

“Your parents didn’t let you have one?” Ruby asked, confused. “Was someone allergic?”

“No.” Weiss told her as the weather report promised sunny, but breezy days ahead. “You’ll probably find out that I wasn’t permitted to have many things. Luxuries that you might think a rich person should have, I very likely didn’t. A family pet was one of them. I always wanted one, but my father is not a fan of animals. This includes anything or anyone resembling animals as well…”

Ruby nearly choked on her chips. Ruby forgot about that. Jacques Schnee was a racist, plain and simple. Even a islander like Ruby knew that, it was all over the place. She needed to change the conversation, and fast. “Sooo, what do you watch besides the news?”

“I watch sitcoms on rare occasion, but that’s only after I’ve watched the news for a bit.” Weiss told her. “I wasn’t lying about watching very little television. It’s not exactly something I was allowed to do for leisure. I was taught to use it a form of information gathering.”

“Sounds like a good way to drive yourself crazy.” Ruby said, cramming more food into her mouth. “It’s not all true anyway, so it’s not really good for that.”

“Propaganda is just a starting point, but, it is a required one according to my father. It’s merely a product of my upbringing, news reports were a common staple in my household.” ”The report switched to one about recent Faunus related mattered, the strife in Vale growing by the day as the White Fang planned another attack, and Weiss cringed. It was with that displeasure that she plucked up the remote and dropped it into Ruby’s lap. “Here, choose something.”

“What, really?” Ruby perked up, nearly dropping the chip bag in the process. “You mean it?”

“Just get that abomination off the screen.” She said, waving her hand in the direction of another burnt building and reports of casualties. “Anything! Pick anything…”

“Okay…” Ruby said, grabbing the remote before Weiss changed her mind. She flipped a few channels before finding the cooking network. Someone was making pastries, and that caught her interest. “How about this?”

“If it so pleases you.” Weiss replied, taking another chip. In truth it was the furthest thing she expected Ruby to choose, but the girl’s eyes glimmered as she watched the woman decorate the small confections with white frosting and pieces of fruit. Then she went over to the oven, talking about the cakes baking inside. “I didn’t realize you enjoyed cooking shows.”

“I’m used to them, I guess. It’s kind of comforting. My mom used to do all the cooking.” Ruby said idly, her gaze fixated on delicious looking yellow cakes that came fresh from the oven. “She used to watch the cooking channel all the time and make the recipes.”

“Used to cook?” Weiss asked, turning to the girl. “Is she no longer able?”

Ruby didn’t look away from the screen, even while her fingers fidgeted along her soda glass before lifting it to her lips, taking another drink. “Not really… My mom died when I was a kid. She went on a mission one day and just never came home. When the time for the mission to be over came, she never checked in. A team was sent out…. They uh…” Ruby licked her lips managing to look over at Weiss for a small moment. “They found her body…”

Weiss bit her tongue. Ruby obviously didn’t want to talk about it. She could tell that much just by the look in her eyes. What could she say to such a terrible thing like that anyway? She had no idea, and struggled to even think of a good response. One that didn’t sound empty or full of pity. Just as she found the words, Ruby spoke again.

“Anyway I like cooking shows so…” Returning her eyes to the screen, she just didn’t want to think about that. “Yeah um… Yeah…” Fidgeting with the chip bag, she pointed towards the screen. “Hey, you know, that buttercream frosting looks really good…”

Weiss sighed merely looking back at the screen. Saying what she wanted to probably wasn’t the best idea. Biting down on the thought, she swallowed it down to be forgotten about entirely. It’s what Ruby seemed to want. “You’re right.” The only thing she had left was to agree, and hope to put the conversation behind them for now. “That frosting does look good, doesn’t it?”

* * *

They watched the program for a little while, but then Weiss needed to get back to work. In truth, she needed help on a project for her remedial class, and Ruby was more than willing to go gallivanting through the woods. With special permission from Professor Port, and the promise to stay on the relatively safe trails near Beacon, Ruby received clearance to take Weiss out into the woods to help her with the training. What Ruby didn’t expect, however, was that Weiss had absolutely no idea what she was doing when it came to foraging for food.

“Weiss, you can’t eat that.” Ruby said, plucking the mushroom carefully from her partner’s grasp. “This is a Grimmshroom. If you eat it, it’ll mess with your aura.”

“But those are black, that one is brown.” Weiss told her. “I thought it was of the Boletus Edulis variety…”

“You can just call it a Penny Bun, you know.” Ruby said, waving it around between her fingers.

“Fine, a Penny Bun, then.” Weiss said unhappily. “I thought that was a Penny Bun.”

Technically it was, but Ruby suspected that something rather sinister had happened to that particular mushroom patch. “I have a dumb question, but do you know how Grimmshrooms are made?” She couldn’t help but ask with a raised eyebrow.

“By being around Grimm.” Weiss shot back. “How else could they grow?”

“Well, yeah…” Ruby said slowly as she scratched the back of her head. “Here’s the thing though, _they don’t just grow_. They’re not an actual type of mushroom that just grows out of the ground. You know that, right?”

“Well, I was certainly under the assumption that they were their own species of mushroom.” Weiss said while crossing her arms and tapping her food. “If that is somehow false, I would demand to know why.”

“Grimmshrooms don’t start off black. They start off as a normal mushroom, of pretty much any variety…” Ruby tried to explain nervously. Trying to teach Weiss was an uncomfortable thing to do. “It doesn’t really matter how they started. They change in color once they’ve been tainted by Grimm. Honestly, it takes a while to do that.”

Weiss narrowed her eyes, looking from the mushroom and then back to Ruby. “Precisely how long would it take to turn malignant?”

That was something Ruby couldn’t answer completely. “It depends, I guess…”

“On what, exactly?”

“On the Grimm…” Ruby murmured, kicking a bit at the mushrooms. “So, what you need to understand is that only large numbers of Grimm, or like a really old Grimm can do something like this.” She said only loud enough for Weiss to hear her. Looking around the forest again, she checked for more signs. “Grimm aren’t like us. If they stay around, they start to poison the area. Plants and wildlife do change form, but you can’t just assume things are okay by glancing at them…”

“Yet, you’re telling me that the mushroom you currently hold is a Grimmshroom?” Weiss said slowly, clearly skeptical. “How could you possibly conclude that?”

“Well, the area tells me a lot.” Ruby told her, looking around a bit. After a breath and a moment to truly study her soundings, she decided it was about time to explain her thoughts. “There was an empty nest back the other way a bit. That tells me that Grimm are probably always around this spot. The trees next to these mushrooms have some fresh claw marks.” Ruby told her, walking over to the tree to examine it. “By the size, they had to have been made from a bear or a wolf. From the shape, I can tell you it’s a bear. This had to have been done less than an hour ago, the mud left behind on the tree is still wet. Plus, if you notice there’s no poop anywhere, and I don’t smell any lingering pee…”

Weiss sighed at length. “And all of that matters because…”

“Because that means that it probably wasn’t an animal that left those claw marks, Weiss…” Ruby said slowly, trying to think of how to explain the matter as completely as she could. “Grimm have no aura, and they’re unnatural beings. When they go to the bathroom, the stuff they leave behind fades away…” Ruby told her, picking a bit at the claw marks with her fingers. “It doesn’t decompose like normal poop does…”

“As disgusting as that hypothesis is, I’m listening…” Weiss said, her lips contorting in distaste at the thought.

Ruby was quiet at first, plucking out a piece of tree bark to examine it further. “There’s no fur on the tree, either. If you think about it like that, things in this area are probably tainted by the Grimm living nearby. The mushrooms are probably dangerous, they just aren’t black yet.”

“How could you possibly know that?” Weiss told her. “It doesn’t have any markings to indicate that it has been compromised. Nothing here does.”

“That’s why everything you eat is considered tainted until you’ve proven that it isn’t. You always need to check, because the roots change shape first. Getting trampled on, spit, poop, pee, it doesn’t matter. Over time, everything will be affected by the Grimm’s influence.” Ruby told her seriously. Eating one by accident would have been bad, very bad. “Watch this…” Ruby flicked out a pocket knife, stabbing at the soil and pulling up dagger-like roots. Touching them with bare hands would have bitten right through her aura.

“Those roots came from _that_?” Weiss balked, taking a backwards step away from the deadly looking roots. “Ruby, what are you doing? Get away from It!”

“It’s fine, just don’t touch the roots." Ruby told her. "Oh, and don’t put your hands anywhere near your face until you’ve washed them."

"Would you stop picking at that thing?" Weiss begged. "What if you get hurt?"

"That's my point. See, this is why you always check.” Ruby said, poking at them with the knife. She was careful not to let her bare skin hit them. “You can tell if you look at the roots of the plant. Mushrooms don’t have sharp, aura stabbing roots. This thing does.” Ruby said, backing away and putting away her knife. “This is a young Grimmshroom colony.”

“That is quite frankly one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen come up from the ground.” Weiss muttered unhappily. Even thinking about it made her queasy. “Ugh, what a filthy looking abomination. Just thinking about it makes me want to shower.”

Ruby just laughed softly. “If you ate it, you’d get aura poising and wouldn’t be able to use it. These ones aren’t too bad, so they wouldn’t kill you. You’d get an upset belly for a few days, though.” Uncapping some blue dust, she froze the roots to kill the colony before it could become an issue. “If you find a screwed up plant like this, kill it. The roots will keep growing, contaminating or killing other living things. If you can get rid of Grimm and most of the really tainted stuff, the forest will start to heal on its own.”

“Very duly noted…” Weiss said sickly while cringing. “Ugh, yuck. May we leave now? Just looking at it disgusts me...”


	18. Chapter 18

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XVIII **

Weiss couldn’t help but feel a little dismayed by the girl she now called her partner. Looking at her, you’d never notice her hardships.

Upon first glance, it would be impossible to think Ruby Rose as anything other than immature, unorganized, hyperactive, and unfit for Beacon Academy. She certainly didn’t look like a huntress in training, not with the way she fawned over her weapon during her waking hours, and most certainly not the way she curled up to sleep. Weiss held her coffee cup in hand, gazing at the girl that was muttering in her sleep.

The early morning hours were upon them, and her hopes of preparing for class were left forgotten upon her desk. Small jars of dust were left to sit idly in front of her, resting on a perfectly white cloth while they waited to be tended to. Instead of finding any solace in her usual studies of the substance, she found her mind too full write down the complicated math and formulas required to mix the compounds together.

It used to be second nature, but then, so little of her life seemed familiar anymore.

Instead, she wondered what Ruby might be dreaming about. It was nonsense, probably. Ruby had a habit of muttering all kinds of inane stupidity while she was sleeping. Most of them were messy thoughts, none of the fully formed as odd combinations of words found themselves twisted together in the same sentence. The fact that her voice was muffled by the pillow made them all the more difficult to hear. Ruby would toss and turn, an active sleeper. She was as restless as her dreams were.

“Something on your mind there, princess?” Yang asked quietly when Weiss continued to watch the girl slumber, seemingly perplexed as she lifted that warm mug to her lips.

“I never knew…” Weiss murmured quietly, a distant sort of discomfort bubbling in her chest. “It never even occurred to me that a girl like her could be so…” Trailing off, she found herself unable to articulate a fitting description. It left her feeling wholly unsatisfied with her recent treatment of the girl in front of her. “I don’t even know if troubled is the word for it.”

“For Ruby?” Yang chuckled softly. “Nah…”

Weiss begged to differ. Without the usual havoc that spun her day into any and all manner of trouble, she was left with less than gratifying truths. Ruby had no mother to speak of anymore, a bond that no child should have had to lose at such a young age. Whatever pain she felt had been buried beneath the pretense of the cooking show, and that just wouldn’t do. Weiss knew she would be remiss not to take notice. In the half-hearted process of getting to know the girl, she hadn’t unwittingly trampled on something particularly private.

That Ruby told the truth so easily was even more disturbing to Weiss.

“She lost her mother, Yang.” Weiss said chidingly, another sip of coffee filled in the gaps that words simply couldn’t. “Of course she’s troubled.” It slipped into place that Yang probably suffered that loss too, and that was even more confusing. Why did they have last names? Why, if they were siblings, did they look so incredibly different? Weiss could only fathom the surface level answer to those questions. Outright asking them seemed completely improper. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you are troubled too. Anyone who experienced such a loss would be.”

“We’re not… Well, not anymore, anyway. This kind of thing is what happens when your mom is a huntress.” Yang said with a shrug. “Kids with families like ours, we grow up with one parent more often than not, and that’s if we’re lucky. It’s just the way it is.”

Fact of life or not, it still didn’t sit well with the heiress. Just thinking about it was chilling to the bone. “Is the complacency you seem to harbor normal too?” Weiss asked her, sparing Yang a glance as the woman jumped down from the bed. A new thought came to her mind. One that made her stomach lurch as her own upbringing came to mind. As a child, there were just some things that no one could control. “Or is it merely that complacency is the only thing that’s possible to achieve?”

Yang scrubbed at her face with her hand. It was far too early for her to process that kind of question. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

Weiss flexed her jaw, biting down on any further elaboration on that subject. Her mother’s alcoholism was a well-kept family secret. It was not something to be aired to anyone. Her father’s misdeeds were as convoluted as they were unjustifiable, and Weiss knew her opinion truly didn’t matter to him. Complacency was the only way to survive a household when a tyrant like her father sat at the helm. “I merely asked if you made do with this situation because there was no other satisfactory alternative…”

Even with the mental fog of grogginess lingering over her head, Yang knew that wasn’t a normal thing to ask. “That question came from a fucked up place…” Yang decided, not nearly awake enough to think of a kinder way to put it. If she had softened her words, her point would have held true anyway. “Whatever’s twisting around in that brain of yours, you can stop now. I don’t know what Ruby told you, but you don’t have to worry about us. We’re okay, maybe not the best, but we got by.”

Weiss wasn’t sure that she believed that, but then, there was so much that she wasn’t sure of these days. “If you insist.”

“Come on, let’s go get some grub.” Yang said, thumb pointing to the door.

“I’d rather not.” Weiss replied, her gaze returning to the girl up in her bed. “I have some thinking to do.”

“Okay…” Yang trailed off. “Hey… Weiss just do me a solid.”

“A solid?” The woman asked.

“A favor…” Yang deadpanned. “It’s slang…” She grumbled when blue eyes turned to her. “Look, just try not to go prying too deep into that kind of stuff. It was a long time ago, and we made our peace with it the best we could. If she talks willingly, that’s fine, she does that sometimes. Just know the line, I guess. There’s no need to go picking at the scabs of the past. If she does, it’ll probably just hurt again.”

Weiss looked back up at Ruby. She was curious, of course. Still, she knew that whatever had happened, it hurt Ruby deeply. “I won’t ask.” She said into the quiet air of the dorm room. “It really isn’t my business anyway.”

* * *

Yang was probably right. Ruby woke up as if the heavy bombshell had never happened. A new day of learning began, and Weiss stood very clear of the topic. There was work to be done, and if Ruby was keen on focusing on that, then Weiss would too.

It seemed like just another average day, until Cardin came around to become an annoyance.

Cardin Winchester was a known bully among the first year students, he had established himself early as a big man on campus. He liked to use intimidation tactics, pushing others around for the sake of his own enjoyment. He was a jerk to everyone that didn’t fall into line with his ideology. Humans and Faunus were treated with the same level of disrespect, and their feelings were given very little regard when he found someone to torment.

Today, Pyrrha decided that she must be his unfortunate target, and not because he wanted to bully her. In fact, frankly she would have much preferred that. However, bullying wasn’t his intention, far from it.

“Come on, hot stuff. It's a good offer. Just you and me out for a night in Vale.” Cardin said, as he walked side by side with Pyrrha trying to get her attention. He had his eye on her. She was good looking, and he couldn’t help but want her for himself. “I promise you’ll be in for a good time.”

Apparently the subtleties of a polite refusal hadn’t registered in his mind. She would have to be blunt with him. “Thank you for the offer, but as I said, I must decline.” Pyrrha managed to say as politely as she possibly could. “I have to focus on my studies, and I have plans with my partner regarding that. You’ll find that I’ll be likewise unavailable for any future attempts on my virtue. My education comes foremost, I’m sure you understand.”

“What?” Cardin scoffed with his upper lip raised in offense. “With who, the little pipsqueak?” Cardin refused to believe that. Pyrrha was too good for him. “Come on baby, dump that shrimp and hang around with a real man for a change. If you want to make it a double with your friend here, I know just the guy for her. We’ll take you girls out on a night on the town.” He grinned then, nice and easy, as though he was sure that was all he needed to say.

“Not on your life.” Weiss muttered under her breath.

“Hey, hey, no need to get all huffy.” Cardin told Weiss, putting her hands up in surrender. “You come with me, and you won’t have any complaints, I promise that.”

Pyrrha cleared her throat, silently seething. Her calm demeanor was impregnable, and even Weiss was impressed by Pyrrha’s mask of perfection. A skilled she learned quickly after her sudden fame. “I told you, I have declined your invitation.”

“And I’m telling you, you’re wasting your time on that partner of yours.” Cardin said flippantly. “He’s not worth it.”

“I wholeheartedly disagree with you.” Pyrrha told him, turning on her heel and eyeing Cardin the way she would an opponent in the ring. “Now then, this conversation has gone on long enough. I’d suggest you leave with your dignity intact. Unless, of course, you’d like to settle this dispute in a more violent way. If that is something you require in order to get the point across, it could certainly be arranged.”

“A wonderful idea, Pyrrha, as always.” Weiss replied while fishing out her scroll. “Shall I call Professor Goodwitch observe the match?”

“That…” Cardin blinked before backing off. “That won’t be necessary.”

Weiss sighed, placing her scroll away and continued walking down the hall with Pyrrha. “I wanted to thank you for agreeing to help Ruby study today. I must admit, I’m not as well versed in the history of other kingdoms. My history tutors didn’t think it prudent to include any information that didn’t directly involve Atlas in one way or another.”

“The same applies for me as far as the sciences are concerned.” Pyrrha told her. “I was rather naive to those topics until I reached Sanctum, and as a result, I still struggle with dust and it’s rather advanced uses. I had no idea how I was ever going to get Jaune or Nora to understand it.”

The two women looked at each other, and the mountainous stack of books that they carried between them.

“We’re fighting a losing battle, aren’t we?” Weiss murmured then, fully realizing that even with Pyrrha’s help, Ruby would be intimidated by the material easily. Blake might be alright with it, but Yang was certainly going to get bored before the study session even came close to completion.

“It does seem that way, doesn’t it?” Pyrrha said, only slightly frowning at the enormity in front of them. “Perhaps I should ask Ren to bring some snacks to eat while we study. I’m not so sure plying them with sugar will help their grades, but the longer we can keep them planted in the library to study, the better.”

Weiss hated to admit it, but she knew Pyrrha was right. “Ask him to bring chocolate chip cookies from the common room, please.”

“Oh, yes, I forgot they had been restocked.” Pyrrha said thoughtfully. “How many do you think Ruby might like?”

Weiss knew they would need far more than any reasonable amount to keep Ruby’s sprits high. Looking down at the books again, the answer came simply. “The entire bag. Every single crumb…”

* * *

Studying lasted several hours before the eight students needed to part ways.

With Ruby trying to teach Weiss how to forage for the second day in a row, Blake tossed herself into the gym. Yang for her part, found herself suffering more hours of personalized training. In truth, she felt like she was going insane. Remedial first aid was proving to be a chore. She couldn’t help but become annoyed when her training wasn’t going her way. The sound of glass shattering and a muttered curse were the only things Yang could hear. Well, besides the scribbling that came from the old teacher that sat at her desk grading papers.

“How long to I have to do this?” She complained as she swiped the shards of glass into the garbage bin. She had been forced to stay after the remedial class was over to continue practicing. She hated it, and everything about it.

“Until you can channel your semblance into the orb without breaking it.” Professor Peach instructed once more.

“I’ve broken like fifty of these things.”

“There are thousands more where they came from.” The professor told her. “And I have plenty more aura to prepare as many as you need. Now, please continue your training.”

“God damn it…”

“Without the profanities.”

Yang grumbled unhappily as she picked up another thin glass ball and glared at it. The lesson was supposed to be simple. Touch the aura inside the glass without breaking the glass in the process. It should have been easy, but it wasn’t. As soon as her aura left her fingers, the glass combusted more violently than ever before. One particularly sharp piece landed in grey hair. To her credit, Professor Peach merely plucked the fragment out and continued writing.

Six more small explosions later, the professor sighed at length.

She placed down her red ink pen and stood from her desk, adjusting the glasses on the bridge of her nose as she made her way across the room. She sat at an empty student desk, and took the next orb out of Yang’s hand. “It’s time for a bit of a break, I think. Perhaps a story might help.”

“A story…” Yang deadpanned.

“Yes, a story about a wayward young huntress who quite resembled you.” The elderly teacher folded her hands on the back of the desk as she regarded Yang simply. “If you were to ask anyone worth their salt, they would hold team STRQ to quite high acclaim, but I recall the matter differently. Most of the faculty here do.”

“Wait a second, you knew my parents…” Yang knew it might be possible, but she had never thought to dwell on it. No one ever spoke about her mom, not ever. At least, not those who didn’t want to get into major trouble with her dad later on. Training was no longer important. She wanted to hear this story. She _needed_ to. “I bet you knew my mom.” She said, as that detail ripped into her in a way that made her semblance colored eyes slip back to their placid lilac state.

“Of course I know her.” The professor stated.

“Know her, like she’s still around?” Yang said, clutching onto that like a thirsting man did water.

“In her own way.” The professor replied. “She comes and goes, that one. Always has, although she’s been nearby much more frequently in recent years.”

“I knew it.” Yang muttered, biting her lip. Her mom was in Vale someplace. She just had to find her.

“They were troublesome youths, all of them. Grew into hellacious adults, too. All of them, in their own ways.” The elderly woman bristled. “Impossible to forget, really. You’ll notice that dent in the ceiling.” She said, looking upward and recalling the explosive release of aura quite well. “That was your father’s doing. If you’ll point your gaze to the far corner, you’ll notice the wall has been repaired several times. That was courtesy of your mother. I didn't think this training could be so disastrous, but they proved it to be true.”

“They had weaponized aura?” Yang asked her.

“Of course they did, dear.” The professor murmured dryly as she removed her glasses and cleaned them with a cloth from her pocket. “It runs in family lines more frequently than you might think. Semblances are rare to pass down onto the generations, but the same is not true for aura. While most semblances don’t tend to be hereditary by nature, aura most certainly is.”

“So, I got this from them.” Yang frowned. “Like… Both of them?”

“Indeed, it would be expected.” The woman nodded at length. “If a parent has weaponized aura, there’s a fifty percent chance that their child will inherit that trait. In the case of both parents having it, well, it might as well be a guarantee. Although, aura like that rarely tends to be so volatile unless the user wishes to use it that way.”

“So, what, they did this training and got better?” Yang asked her. The marks were still there after all, even though they had graduated with flying colors.

“Your father improved splendidly, your mother didn’t.” The professor said softly.

“But she graduated.” Yang said. “How could she have done that if she never mastered the training?”

“It is rare that Beacon ignores such a problem.” Peach scolded gently. “We don’t air that we do, on occasion, look the other way. It isn’t exactly something to take pride in. Certainly, most school would have sent your mother packing, but Ozpin is a very unique individual. It is a requirement that you at least attempt the training. However, should you fail this remedial class, there are other ways to put an aura like yours to use. Ways that _only_ such deadly aura can be used. Ozpin will see a merit in that, he always does.”

“Is that what my mom did?” Yang asked. “The other thing?”

“Quite.” Professor Peach told her. “Rare as it happens, not all aura can be used for good. Just like semblances, there are some types of aura that are purely destructive by nature. Although, as I told you before, it is not ideal. Frankly, it is frowned upon to use weaponized aura for particular practices.” She picked up one small orb and held it in front of Yang. “With that in mind, perhaps you should calmly continue your training. Might I suggest you do so without the weight of your worries? If you were not so forcefully desperate to control your aura, I believe it could behave better for you. The bulbs would explode less violent at the very least…”

* * *

The plight of many students fell into the hands of the faculty. Peter thought it to be relatively normal.  
  
As a professor, he took great pride in having enthusiastic students. As a simple man, he couldn’t help but rub his eyes when the wayward youths ran amok. Just as Glynda acted as the staff member in charge of speaking with the ladies, he was the caretaker of the young men. Jaune Arc was proving to be a problem, and not because he was the one causing trouble. Rather, he seemed to be the one to attract it, and quite often too.

“Come along, lad.” He murmured, peeling the boy of the floor. He had never seen such a perfectly formed block of ice holding a student hostage. It was quite a shame to smash it, or so he thought. It was the quality one might expect for a sculpture, and crushed to pieces its perfect clarity was ruined. “Brush yourself off now, and look respectable.”

“Yes sir.” He squeaked, coughing powder blue dust that turned the air cold.

“That was quite the display.” He murmured, stepping over the shards of ice that had molded themselves against the wall. “Might I ask why you were frozen to the wall in such a manner?”

“I asked Weiss on a date.” He said, hanging his head low, kicking the ice off of his feet. “She said no.”

“Quite violently at that.” The short professor agreed.

“She froze me hallway to the wall, I was waiting to thaw out.” Jaune told him.

“Ah, well I wouldn’t feel too down about it. Huntresses are spirited sorts, you’ll find that they can be a bit enthusiastic, and in more ways than one.” The professor told Jaune casually in hopes to raise his spirits. “Tenacity is what gets a huntsmen by, and by not letting a little thing like failure get him down. We must be persistent when it comes to every endeavor, and wise too.”

“So, I should ask her again then…” Jaune concluded.

“Well, I didn’t say that, exactly…” He murmured dryly, stroking his mustache in dismay. That wasn’t the lesson he had been trying to impart. “Merely that one must consider his pursuits carefully. He must be sure that the action he takes is the right one.”

“Oh, right, so today was the wrong one. You’re right, I’m sure I just caught her in a bad mood.” Jaune replied. “I’ll ask her again a different time.”

The professor merely rolled his eyes. “Hmm, yes, well perhaps with a bit more wisdom next time.” He told Jaune. “Now then, off you go now, lad.” The professor went on his way, just as Jaune went on his. “Tenacious indeed…” He said softly to himself as he headed to the nearby classroom. He had a small class of remedial students to teach, and it would be best not to dawdle.

Exciting the ladies bathroom was one such student. “Ah, Miss Schnee, right on time. I assume you’re ready and willing to pursue the fine art of roughing it.”

“As always.” She told him with a plastered on grin, books in hand and ready to learn. He didn’t miss the dust residue that still clung to her skirt, and she pretended she didn’t notice it, either.

“Indeed, it’s quite the enthralling class today.” The professor said quite happily. “Today we’ll be going over the fine art of scavenging and preparing meals. I do hope that you’ve procured the materials I asked for.”

“Yes sir.” Weiss told him, holding aloft a plastic bag with edible berries. She couldn’t afford to be seen as more of a failure than she already was. Her father would never stand for it. She didn’t dare tell the professor about all of the things Ruby had thrown aside for one reason or another. Several warnings were strictly because the items Weiss had picked up were poisonous to eat. The only thing that survived was the berries, but at least there were plenty of them. “I hope this will be enough.”

“Perfect!” He praised. “Come along, I believe you are the last to arrive. It is time to begin class.”

* * *

Blake's own classroom problems were no easier.

She couldn’t be followed. If anyone saw her walking around in this section of the school, there would be a lot of question she didn’t want to answer. Most of these doors held rooms that were specific to aura, semblance, and Faunus related training. She waited until the hall was clear of any prying eyes before sneaking into the office. The name etched on the frosted glass in bold letters read “Peach” and the blurry image of the woman inside proved she was at her desk.

Blake opened the door in slipped passed it.

“Ah, Miss Belladonna, good of you to come.” The professor replied simply as she placed down her pen. “To be honest, I feared I may have to hunt you down personally, considering you skipped out on the first session of the habitual mating class.”

“I can’t take the class.” Blake told her. “I need to get out of it, I don’t care what it takes.”

“Take a seat, Miss Belladonna.” The woman said simply, pointing to the empty chair in front of her desk. “Your unusual circumstances have been brought to my attention, but I’m afraid the accommodation cannot be made in this case.”

“I know all about mating, trust me.” Blake said with a blush. “No training will be needed.”

“I would ask how you would be so sure of that, but it’s not a question you’d likely be willing to answer.” The professor said slowly as she tented her fingers upon the desk and leaned over slightly. “Considering who your father is, I would like to think such things were explained. However, when I called him, I was informed that you’ve been away from his care for quite some time. I hear you’ve been screening his calls, too. You have your parents quite worried, you know.”

“You called my dad?” Blake said, her bow crumpling very unhappily as her words sunk in. “You shouldn’t have done that. How did you even know his number?”

“I have been alive far longer than he has. I’ve seen his work, I stood alongside him during his reign as the head of the White Fang. I know exactly who the man is, and I know you are his daughter. Your resemblance to Kali is a dead giveaway, but even if that were not the case, your family name certainly doesn’t hide you.”

“He’s probably shedding fur from all the stress…”

“No more fur than what you caused him to shed on his own, dear.” The woman pointed out, her tail twitching in displeasure. “I presume it will be a lot less, now that you’re under the watchful eye of Beacon Academy. That being said, he did not have the opportunity to have some rather pointed discussions with you. When the time came for that you were rebellious enough to be difficult to contact, let alone willing to speak about such personal matters. He was much more concerned that you were alive and breathing, rather than mating habits.”

“Older Faunus gave me that talk…” Blake told her. “I didn’t need dad to do it.”

“Given the questionable nature of White Fang activity, and your involvement with them, I call that into question.” The woman said with a long, sad sigh. “Your father does too, and your mother is too worried to push you way further by trying to approach the topic. It is one thing to have a simple fling, dear. It’s very common among our ilk. However, mating itself is quite the different matter. Something that runs deep. Without understanding the deeper feelings that such a thing inspires, you are likely to be hurt.”

“I’ve seen enough mates going through rough patches to know that.” Blake groused, arms crossed.

“Hmm, is that so?” The professor didn’t buy that for a second. “So, then answer me this; what is mating sickness, and why does it occur?”

“It’s an illness of the mind. It happens when mates are separated for long stretches of time.” Blake told her. “I don’t know why it happens, only that it does.”

The professor cleared her throat. “It happens because Faunus are different from humans in a few key ways. There are certain ways our minds work that is drastically unlike the human population. The bond formed between mates is unlike any other. Loosing that bond for any reason becomes detrimental.”

“I was told that it wasn’t a big deal.” Blake told her. “That most people recover.”

“That is entirely debatable.” Professor Peach said thoughtfully. “What begins as simple sadness may lead to chronic depression. If left untreated, it can spiral down from there. Some Faunus do not recover from mating sickness. While it can be treated if caught early, many refuse that treatment. When such a deep bond is broken, part of our soul breaks too. Some are not willing to go on in this world without their mate with them. In the worse cases, a Faunus may refuse to eat or drink until death claims them. It isn’t to be taken lightly.”

“I’ve never seen that happen.” Blake told her. “I’ve seen a lot of bad things, but never that.”

“Let me rephrase the question. Think to your time in the White Fang.” The professor began. “Have you ever seen a Faunus run into a fight, knowing they were sure to die?”

“That happens more often than not when things go wrong. Our brothers and sisters of the White Fang would die if it bought the whole group more time to escape.” Blake told her. “That has nothing to do with mating sickness.”

“Were their mates beside them?” Professor Peach asked quietly. “Think carefully. Were their mates fleeing, or meeting the same end? Were they preserving themselves, or staying even when all hope was lost? Even knowing they would not survive?”

Blake said nothing to that. She couldn’t, because the memories were more terrifying under that implication. That they died not for the cause, but because they’d have nothing left to live for. Her eyes watered. It was true. More than a few mated pairs never made it home alive. They stayed together, all while others ran in hopes to find safety. Mates were always teamed together. Always without fail. When one disappeared, the other did too.

“They weren’t…” Blake bit out. “They wouldn’t just…”

“They would, dear.” The elder Faunus murmured quiet sadly. “The bond between mates overrides self-preservation. The need to protect one's mate from others will always overrule common sense. Bonded pairs risk far more than you might believe, and this is only one aspect to consider. There are other factors to consider, too. Mating is complex, and it can change everything about a Faunus."

“There’s no way that’s true.” Blake felt a growl in her throat. One that nearly escaped.

“It is. I wish it weren't so, but mating changes our lives completely. Knowing those changes are important. Mating sickness is most common to occur in Faunus who are uneducated, and have not learned the skills to cope. Much like the way a parent would sacrifice their life for the sake of their child. Mates live together. If they have no offspring to look after, they die together too. Choosing to mate is no small matter.” The woman replied earnestly. “It seems to me that you were very poorly educated. As a favor to the deeds of your family, I will tutor you privately so that you are not discovered. That is as lenient as I will be, because these are lessons that you must know.”

Blake didn’t know what to say to that.

She thought back to her youth. Was it really true? That they chose to stay by their mate, knowing exactly what that would mean? Staying in spite of the inevitable outcome? Blake once though it to be bravery. She had been told by many that it was the honorable thing to do. But now, how could she see it that way? As honor? How could that be right?

Under the new lens of clarity, it was terrifying to even think it. Horrifying to believe it. Sickening to know there was some measure of truth beneath it. That she had seen such a thing with her own eyes more than once, and there was no denying it.

Maybe to them it was honorable. Maybe staying was the only way they could justify their love for another. Staying instead of abandoning. Holding tightly, while the cruelty of world ripped them away from everything they held dear.

It was nothing like she had been taught by Adam and the others. Nothing like that at all. Her brothers and sisters of Adam’s White Fang contingent lied to her.

They all lied to her, every single one…


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, sorry, life has gotten a bit busy, so that's why updates are slowing down for a little while.

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XIX **

Blake didn’t like what she had been told, not one bit of it. She had to question everything. If she didn’t, what good was she? Thinking about her past put her in a bad mood, she had run away from the White Fang for a reason. That reason now seemed to be coming to the surface as a fountain of misinformation. She hadn’t been prepared that, not truly. The professor had implored her to call her family back home, but Blake refused to do that.

She couldn’t tell them the truth, not without having some sort of redeeming quality to show for it.

Feeling as though her life was made upon a bed of carefully crafted lies, she couldn’t focus on her studies the next day. Everything seemed like a blur, long lectures and combat training melting into each other until lunch. Then more classes came and went, her ears only managed to catch fragments of the lessons the teachers tried to impart upon her. When the final bell rang, homework waited for her and she had only managed to get part of it finished before dinner.

“What has you looking so glum, Blake?” Yang asked when her partner poked at her meal listlessly.

“Just a long day of class.” She said idly. The fact was that her tuna sandwich wasn’t as tasty as it usually was. It was a fight to eat it, even though she knew she needed to.

“That I can agree with.” Yang said, yawning boorishly as she cracked her back in several places. “I’m going to have to do it all again tomorrow, with remedial first aid again on top of it. Peach is a slave driver, she keeps tacking on private hours like it’s all I have to do in my life.”

“Well at least you didn’t need to listen to Professor Port prattling on for two extra hours than usual.” Weiss complained while shaking her head. “I don’t think I actually managed to learn anything from his stories, and trust me, I tried.”

“Oh, god, please don’t remind me.” Jaune grumbled, his empty meal tray serving as a makeshift pillow. “I thought it would never end.”

“It only ended because the bell rang. Don’t think he took pity on the remedial class for even a second.” Weiss said snappishly, far too tired to muster any possible kindness as she ate a bowl of warm stew. It was nothing like the kind Klein would make her personally whenever she had a common cold. Thinking of the butler made her homesick, and she dearly wished Klein was here now, armed with hot chocolate and his calming demeanor. “Professor Port probably would have blathered on all night if Professor Oobleck hadn’t barged in when he did.”

“The man’s a saint.” Jaune muttered unhappily as he felt Pyrrha pat him on the back consolingly.

“It’s over for today.” Pyrrha replied. “Now we can relax a bit.”

“Yeah, well now we’re free from all of that crap, I don’t want to relax.” Yang said, enjoying her own meal that sat in front of her. “It’s time to do something fun.”

“I’m up for that.” Nora pitched in as happily as ever. Ren said nothing as he grabbed at Nora’s fork before it could fall off the table. Nora was oblivious to the way he carefully placed it down on her tray with a napkin folded over the top. Instead, her gaze aimed at Yang excitedly. “What did you have in mind Yang?”

“I don’t know.” Yang shrugged. “I was thinking that we could all hit the pool.”

“No, absolutely not.” Weiss declined.

“I second the motion of not going.” Blake said offhandedly. “I’m going to read and go to bed.”

“You know, that pool is actually pretty big.” Ruby said conversationally. “And it has a long rec-time. It’s from eight pm to five am, I think.”

“Except on the weekends.” Yang told her. “Then training holds out until nine pm. Rec-time starts at ten, and goes on until three in the morning before it’s closed for upkeep.”

“That might be well and good for the rest of you, but I have no desire to swim. I am going back to the room, crawling into bed, and pretending that this day never existed.” Weiss told them.

“Well, I rather like the idea honestly.” Pyrrha told the group. “There are two hot tubs in the pool area, and I plan to soak away the aches in my muscles. I think a little leisure activity is the perfect way to replenish ourselves.”

A hot tub sounded heavenly to Weiss, and she perked up at that thought. “Well, if you insist, I suppose a little time relaxing before bed couldn’t hurt…”

Ruby turned to look at her, gawking around the bite of chicken in her mouth. "You changed your tune really quick."

"I don't swim, Ruby." Weiss told her with a small roll of her eyes. "However, a hot tub is something I do enjoy. Although, I would prefer if it wasn't a public one."

There were plenty of activities to do at Beacon Academy. Among the most popular were move nights, card tournaments, club activities, and excursions. Ruby had looked at the pamphlet several times. As much as she thought about trying one of the clubs out, she didn’t want that kind of commitment on top of everything else. The full service gym had a pool and spa area as well. Students who didn’t have the funds to attend the often expensive gatherings collected in the pool area during recreational hours.

As it turned out, not even Weiss was above climbing into one of two community hot tubs located at opposite ends of the Olympic sized pool.

All of the students had to wear their issued bathing suits while in the training facilities. The simple one piece suit was functional at least. Ruby looked over to where Nora and Yang were splashing around in the water. With no lifeguard on duty, and recreational hours continuing for all hours of the night, it was no wonder that mayhem found its way into the wet environment. With the floating dividers removed from the lanes, Nora and Yang instigated a free for all, several unfortunate floating bystanders were knocked from their relaxation and into the water.

Ren merely sighed as he crawled back onto his floating square of foam. Shaking the water from his hair as he got comfortable once more. Poor Jaune was caught in a three person scuffle between Coco, Yang, and Nora. The second year student besting all three of them when she managed to get the upper hand against the other swimmers.

Ruby sighed as she kicked her feet in the water. Sitting on the edge, she watched as the water brawl began making sloshy waves in the once calm water. Pyrrha and Weiss were more than happy to occupy the hot tub, talking amongst themselves well away from the ciaos. Blake was on the far side of the room entirely. She had been dragged to the pool area under protest, but she hadn’t put up too much of a fight when Yang practically carried her along, either.

Occupying the other hot tub with her book in hand, Blake stayed away from the wild members of the group. Even in the water, she kept her bow on, refusing to take it off.

“Don’t you like swimming, Velvet?” Ruby asked when the Faunus had placed herself as far away from the pool as possible. Idly snacking on a bag of veggies from one of the vending machines, she looked up from her scroll.

“No, I can’t say that I do.” She said after some thought, a piece of broccoli in hand. “Although I have a feeling I’m going to have to go into the water soon to pry Coco off of your teammate.”

“She must be really strong to get the upper hand on Yang and Nora at the same time.” Ruby replied, noticing that her sister still hadn’t gotten out of the headlock yet, and that Nora was still trying to squirm away from the lock that Coco’s feet had around her waist.

“It has less to do with strength, and more to do with that fact that we’ve been trained to handle combat in the water.” Velvet said, shaking her head when all three of them fell beneath the water’s surface only to pop back up moments later barking at each other and gasping for air. “Well, at least a little.”

“They teach that?” Ruby asked curiously, pulling her eyes away from the water fight to look at Velvet in surprise.

“Not generally, but some of the teachers here go away on missions during summer break. It’s a good opportunity to join them and gain long term field experience. That’s why we can fight in the water without being taken under very easily.” Velvet said, nodding to the way that Coco seemed to float easily above the surface of the water. “We followed Professor Port on one of his insane fishing trips along the coasts.”

“Yeah, but it looks so cool!” Ruby said, wondering how Coco was even able to do that in the first place.

“I promise that it isn’t.” Velvet shivered then quite unhappily. “There is a lot of Grimm in deep water. That’s a specialized kind of fighting. A lot of aura management, water proof equipment, and luck. I don’t recommend it.” She reached for her swimming cap and began to put it on to protect her ears. “Well, I suppose I should go pry Coco off of them, you might as well help too…”

“Okay.” Ruby said pushing herself into the water. “We’re probably going to need Ren’s help to get Nora to stop the water fight anyway.”

* * *

There was a hard and fast rule among the students in Beacon. Bullies didn’t last long on campus. Peer pressure wouldn't allow it to last for any length of time.

Bullies only had a few month to get their jollies before teams banded together to pummel them. It took some time, it always did, but once teams unified together, bullies were always put to a forceful stop. Coco vividly recalled her first year as a student, and the several supervised matches that became part of daily life as a team leader. She didn’t suffer bigotry of any kind, and willingly shut down anyone stupid enough to pick a fight with the wrong team, namely hers.

Coco quickly gained a reputation for her temper, which was downright vitriolic once she had been provoked. She didn’t air that temper very often, primarily because Velvet didn’t care for violence of any nature. However, once Coco was truly driven to act, the people who accomplished that feat paid dearly. She had a Faunus on her team, and that required her to fully be aware of every idle piece of slander that was aimed Velvet’s way.

A new year brought new bullies on campus, and Coco eyed the man from afar. She watched as he tormented anyone that seemed to be weaker than him. “I wish you’d let me clock that bastard.” Coco murmured with a coffee cup in hand and her now empty pipe resting beside her.

“Violence doesn’t do any good, Coco, you know that.”

“Five seconds and a locked room is all it would take to have him singing soprano.” Coco retorted. “If I get my hands on him, just once, he’d know better than to screw around with people.”

“Don’t you have a meeting to go to?” Velvet asked her. “You’re being assigned to look after two of the new leaders soon, right?”

“Soon, but not today.” Coco replied, licking her lips as she rattled her nearly empty cup. “That’s what I’m keeping an eye on these first years. I want to know who I’m dealing with.”

“You really don’t like them, do you?” Velvet asked softly, her ears curling forward a bit. Proof of how saddened the thought made her.

“Some of the kids are alright. Most keep their heads down low, and their mouths where they belong. I haven’t met them, I don’t need to. The ones I do know about seem okay, more or less.” Coco told her, leaning heavily on the railing as she looked down to the students walking along in the courtyard. “Jaune’s harmless as the come, and Ruby’s nice enough. Neither of them are half bad. That one over there, though… ”

“That’s Cardin Winchester…” Velvet said, she knew exactly who he was.

“Oh god, he’s a Winchester?” Coco hated that thought. “We just got rid of one of those assholes last year at Beacon’s graduation, and now you’re telling me we have another one?”

“It seems like it. He’s the second oldest son. There are two more boys that are younger than him.” Velvet told her. “Perhaps he won’t be as bad as his older brother.”

“I think you’re delusional, babe. That little shit’s picking on Ruby. His new name’s going to be mincemeat if he keeps that crap up.” Coco replied, her nails tapping idly on the metal railing she leaned on.

“I’d much rather you didn’t. If you do, you’ll earn yourself a detention for making the matter worse.” Velvet told her, leaning on the woman gently. “Plus, we have a date tonight. We’d have to reschedule that if you managed to get into trouble. I know you wouldn't be very happy about that, now would you.”

“Hmm, nice bribe. It's tempting, sure. That doesn't mean I'm not willing to wait if I do get detention, though. I’m telling you, he’s trouble. He’s on a thin line with what I’m seeing, and I don’t like it.” Coco watched as he shoved Ruby into the brick wall of a nearby building to push her out of the way. “There goes the line. His ass is grass.”

“Coco, no!” Velvet said grabbing the woman before she could pummel the man who was making his way through the area below them. “Don’t do it. You can’t just beat up bullies like that. They don’t learn anything.”

“Let me go, Velvet.” Coco ordered, using a voice she only did in combat.

“Absolutely not.” Velvet told her, clinging more tightly. “You are not dealing in first year disputes. They need to learn how to take care of themselves. Besides, you could very realistically hurt someone with less experience than you.”

“Velvet…”

“No.” Velvet said again, when Coco turned to face her. “I said no, Coco." Velvet told her firmly. "You may be my leader, but you’re so much more to me than that, too. I don’t like seeing you turn to violence. You always use an explosion when a spark will do.” Velvet sighed then, one hand lifting to stroke the woman’s cheek softly. “He’s a human, not a Grimm. There’s enough violence in the world without you adding to it, so please, just don’t.”

“Velvet, the dude is a total prick.”

“Maybe so, but this isn’t your fight to have.” Velvet sighed then, shaking her head softly at the ire she saw behind the dark shades. “We’re second year students now. It’s our job to look after the new students and see to their safety, not go around beating them up. We should be stopping fights, not starting them.”

“I really hate it when you’re right.” Coco sighed, inwardly she was still planning to send that boy flying if he even thought to come within arm’s reach. “Come on, let’s go check on Ruby.”

“First, we really should call a teacher…” Velvet told her.

“What, why?” Coco asked, only to have Velvet point over her shoulder. She grinned at the sight. One very bloody Cardin Winchester was now running away from an incredibly angry Yang Xiao Long. Poor Ruby was dragged along for the ride, unable to stop her sister’s rampage. Blake and Weiss were trailing behind, hot on the heels of the truly enraged brawler. “Oh, good, she can handle it. He's about to realize he fucked with the wrong team...”

Velvet could only roll her eyes while climbing up on the railing. “Coco, for the love of god, just call Professor Goodwitch…” She begged before jumping down and taking after the line of students.

* * *

Yang had been a bull in a china shop. Impossible to tame, and incredibly easy to lose track of. Unfortunately, as Weiss discovered later that day, she really should have tried harder to pin Yang down with a glyph when she had the chance.

“What on Remnant happened to you?” Weiss asked as Yang returned a battered heap from Glynda’s class room.

“Only the best thing to ever happen in the whole wide world. I saw an angel, Weiss. Damn, she was beautiful…” Yang said more than a little giddy, a soft giggle slipping from her lips. “She chewed me up, spat me back out, and hung me out to dry. Ten out of ten, would so do it again.”

That was hardly the explanation that Weiss expected to hear. “Blake, you’re her partner. Translate that… _That_ … Whatever that was…”

Blake looked over her shoulder, only giving Weiss a passing glance as she settled Yang on the bed and retrieved a first aid kit. “Yang got detention. Three rounds in the ring against Professor Goodwitch for insubordination. This is the result.”

“Detention!” Weiss shirked. “Yang, how could you?!”

“That asshole was picking on Ruby.” Yang grumbled, as Blake tended to all of the mild injuries she had received as a punishment. Three rounds in the ring with Professor Goodwitch was no laughing matter. “That wasn’t going to fly with me, no way in hell. I slammed him into the wall again after you two lost track of me in the halls.”

“Blake said that the professor gave you three rounds in the ring for insubordination…” Weiss said, hands on her hips in complete confusion. “How can you be so happy about that? It’s hardly a mild reprimand.”

Blake found that she had to agree. Yang probably shouldn’t have tried to beat him senseless. Still, it was a sight to behold. “If it makes you feel any better, Cardin has six rounds in the ring.” Blake told her. “That’s twice what Yang had. Three for insubordination, and three more instigating an unmonitored fight.”

“He’s got a low aura too, thanks to yours truly.” Yang grinned. “You think I got nailed, but he’ll be black and blue by the time she’s done with him.”

“That isn’t that point. You’re making us look bad when you do things like that.” Weiss complained. “If you have to pick a fight, you need to have that fight monitored by a faculty member. Those are the rules in the student handbook. Ruby, you’re the leader. Don’t you have anything to say about this?”

“Honestly? I kind of thought she was going to do worse.” Ruby said, looking up from her book, her notes sitting in her lap forgotten. “Yang always got into fights at Signal.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Weiss muttered under her breath. “Well, let this be a lesson to you.”

“Aw, man, my ass got kicked.” Yang said with a stupefied grin on her face. “I think I found my new favorite teacher. She’s hot when she’s angry.”

“She either beat you too hard, or not enough.” Weiss shot back, more than a little irritated. “Terrifyingly enough, I’m not sure which.”

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know.” Yang grinned before exhaustion claimed her. “Trust me, Weiss. Never piss her off, you’ll regret every second of it.” Yang groaned then, flopping down onto Blake’s bed with a tired yawn.

“I didn’t plan on it.” Weiss replied, picking up her books and glancing towards Ruby. “Get your books and meet me in the library. You need to re-take that test tomorrow.”

“You know it won’t do any good.” Ruby told her. “I’m just going to get another bad grade. I never do good on tests.”

“Is that what you believe?” Weiss scowled at her, looking down her nose at the infuriating girl. Marching over to the desk, she grabbed Ruby’s books and tucked both small stacks under her arm. With her free hand, she grabbed Ruby’s ear and tugged. “Well then, it seems I haven’t quite gotten through to you yet.”

“Ow!” Ruby complained. “Weiss, let go.”

“I will once you’ve planted your rear in a seat at the library.” Weiss retorted without missing a beat. “Now come on, we have to study.”

“Ow, ow, ow.” Ruby complained as she was dragged out of the dorm room. “Stop twisting my ear!” Ruby complained as the door slammed shut behind her.

“Well, at least they’re not fighting anymore.” Yang said once the door closed, and she wouldn’t face any repercussions from letting that thought fly out of her mouth.

“What would you call it?” Blake asked, putting away the small first aid kit she kept in her drawer from her days in the White Fang.

“Lover’s spat?”

Blake could only send Yang a dry look, shaking her head mildly at the absurd insinuation. “And with that, I’m off to go clock my hour at the gym. If you’re going to fall asleep, use your own bed.”

* * *

Weiss looked down at the image of her sister on the screen as she sat at the table. She didn’t want to indicate how difficult of a time she had been having, but Winter saw right through that little ruse before it could even begin. Deep down, Weiss knew she should have known that. Even so, a small part of her didn't want Winter to see any reason to scold her. That reason alone, however, was enough to earn her older sister's annoyance.

“You haven’t been eating properly.” Winter told her while sighing at length. Weiss looked thinner, and her already dainty frame couldn’t afford to lose weight. “Don’t even try to deny it, I can tell.”

“I’ve been eating the same way I have since leaving Atlas.” Weiss told her, not even to try and deny that she felt exhausted and snappish. “I’ve followed all of my dietary requirements.”

“You no longer lead a sedentary life Weiss. You need to eat diverse and healthy meals.” Winter told her without missing a beat. “Your caloric intake should have doubled once you arrived at Beacon to make up for the extreme use of your already limited aura. We do not have the wealth of aura that others do, and our bodies put in more effort to properly replenish ourselves.”

“The food here is abysmal, I get by.” Weiss murmured softly, trying not to take the roll of her sister’s eyes as an offensive action. “Well, I do.”

“Weiss, you need to take proper care of yourself. Beacon Academy will be training you to build healthy habits. Now is the time to apply those habits and build a routine that will serve you well beyond graduation. This means eating correctly, and learning to balance your work with your currently lifestyle.”

“I am…”

“You’re lying.” Winter pointed out. “You’re doing that thing with your lips that you only do when you lie to father. I do the exact same thing, you learned that from me. I know you aren’t being truthful. You may be able to pull the wool over his eyes, but don’t you dare think for an instant that you can pull it over mine.”

“What do you want me to say?” Weiss said. “If our father knew the truth, I would never hear the end of it. That’s why I haven’t called home. I don’t want him to see me as a disappointment, and you know he will. He always hates when I display even the smallest failing. If I don’t keep strictly to my word, he’ll pull me out of Beacon.”

“You should know that I’ve been in this position.” Winter said quietly, looking over her shoulder to be sure that no one else was listening in. “Weiss, I warned you that if you left the safety of Atlas, you would be in over your head. That wasn’t an idle statement. You must start looking after yourself. Eat larger meals, get regular sleep, and take care of your disposition. Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical health. If you push yourself to hard, you will break. Do not learn that lesson the hard way.”

“Things have not been easy…” Weiss softly, the first truth to come out of her mouth all day. “I didn’t think my classes would be so hard. In academics, I’m right where I should be. Everything else, though…”

“As I suspected.” Winter murmured dryly, as the image shifted. Obviously she was making herself more comfortable as the view settled. Winter tucked her hand into her palm, looking through the screen as if it was simple glass. A reflection of younger days that she didn’t want to recall.

“That isn’t really a comfort.” Weiss said, looking away from the screen. She couldn’t take the mild study that Winter affixed upon her. It made her feel weak and unworthy, two things she would never voice.

“This is the path you chosen, but it is not the path you were groomed to take.” Winter said idly, as though the mere thought drifted into her mind in passing. “Father never would have allowed you to go traipsing through the woods and learning to battle Grimm. The only reason he has now, is because he believe this will beat you down into submission. He believes you will come home, Weiss. He thinks you'll become his docile little puppet that he can pull the strings upon once more.”

“I know that.” Weiss bit out. “Winter, it doesn’t please me any more than it pleases you. I fully realize that he just wants me under his control.”

“If that idea sickens you, do not allowed yourself to be manipulated.” Winter told her. “You are old enough lead your own life. You will make mistakes, and you will face failure more times than you can count. That’s what it means to forge your own path. If you wish to be out from under his thumb, those are the prices you will be forced to pay."

"I feel like I'm already paying them."

"You are, Weiss, and you will continue to do so." Winter told her. "Time and time again, you will face a much more difficult life, because that is the cost of independence." Winter looked away from the screen for a few moments before looking back, frowning. "You need to pull me down off of the pedestal you've placed me on, in order to see me for what I am. If you believe I have found success, you must question how many failings I endured to reach that success. I assure you, they are limitless."

"How did you even manage?" Weiss asked her quietly. "How did you get by?"

"The same way that I do now. I hold true to my convictions. I do that simply because they are mind to have, just as your convictions are yours." In this, Winter had no doubts. Beacon would continue to mold her sister, for better or for worse was yet to be decided. That was a struggle that Weiss would need to discover for herself. "To be independent means to face hardship. It is a very costly, but I have found myself more emotionally wealthy in the long run. Money cannot buy you happiness, but blood, sweat, and tears? Now that’s worth something.”


	20. Chapter 20

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XX **

“That’s inaccurate.”

The statement cuts through Weiss instantly as she looks up from her essay. Blue eyes narrowing at the teammate beside her. It’s not the first time she’s been wrong, but Blake isn’t usually the one to so readily point out factual errors in written reports. She looks down at her paper once more, reading over the paragraph she had just written. She doesn't see anything wrong. “The kingdom of Vale has one major city, two towns, ten outlying villages, and thirty-five tribes. How is that an inaccurate statement?”

“Because you’re not counting the boarder territories.” Blake tells her, nearly wincing at how bad that sounded coming out of her own mouth. She made a grab for the map she had been using, sliding it over for Weiss to look at. “The correct answer is one major city, three towns, thirteen outlying villages, and over seventy tribes. You’re right when you say commerce between the tribes is what fuels a large portion of Vale’s economy, but that’s because the tribes still have strong connections to their brother and sister communities that sit across the border in Vacuo. Without that connection, the merchants wouldn’t have sufficient trade routes.”

“Then why are so many tribes unregistered in Vale’s database?” Weiss retorted, pulling up her scroll. “See, it clearly says thirty-five tribes.”

“Weiss…” Blake hesitated, pointing to the search parameters on the scroll she cleared her throat. “You’re only looking up human establishments." Knowing that didn't sit well with her. It might have been accusatory, but she felt her voice carry a small hint of agitation. "You’re omitting Faunus search results.” She wasn't exactly surprised. Weiss was a Schnee, after all. They likely did things of that nature all the time.

“What?” Weiss scowled down at her scroll. “Again? I thought I thought I fixed this contemptable machine…”

“Wait, you didn’t try to omit them?” Blake trailed off, confused. She bit her lip slightly before gaining control of her features. It was a good thing too, she managed to do it just before Weiss looked up at her.

“Of course not.” Weiss bit out under her breath, sending her teammate a dry look of annoyance. She dropped her thoughts, leaving them unspoken as she sighed, returning to her scroll. Her thumb tapped away at the screen unhappily. “Why would I go around intentionally seeking incorrect answers for essays?" She asked a moment later, as Blake has assumed one of the most stupid things in the world. "That would sabotage my grade.”

It took everything in Blake's power not to flinch at the gravity of that statement.

“Good point…” Blake looked back at her own essay and sighed. Tucking her hand into her palm, she went back to writing. It was the safe thing to do. Schoolwork always was, at least when it came to Weiss. “Anyway, the majority of tribes in Vale are made up of Faunus. They fall under joint jurisdiction between Menagerie and Vale. The Faunus also have a town and three villages that fall within Vale’s borders too. That’s why the answer isn’t correct.” She muttered despite herself, finding another question nipping at the back of her mind. “Hey, Weiss…”

“What?” Weiss asked, more than a little agitated. She flipped a long strand of hair back over her shoulder before snapping the scroll shut to reboot it. That action alone made it clear that her ire was aimed more towards the device in her hand, rather than the woman speaking to her.

That should have been a comfort, but for the Faunus hiding her identity, that little detail slipped her mind. Her better judgment told her the question in her mind was a stupid thing to ask, but Blake found the words leaving her mouth anyway. “Why would you scroll omit something like that?” When Weiss gazed at her, far too vexed for words, Blake clarified. “Faunus communities. That kind of information should be open to the public.”

Blue eyes rolled as the heiress scoffed. “That’s because my scroll is connected to my family plan. As such, it tends to default to whatever security and search parameters are set by the account holder, namely my father. I’ve asked him to remove the restrictions on my scroll. Clearly, he has yet to do so. Until he does, I need to continually modify my search results manually every time I change databases. We use so many of them that it has become a hassle.”

“Ah…” Blake said, knowing that explained more than she wanted to admit. She placed the paper away in her folder so that it wouldn’t get ruined. Then she started packing away her books for the day. She considered folding up the map, but watching Weiss scowl at her scroll made Blake feel an ounce of pity for her. “Here, just use this.” She said, pushing the map forward towards the girl. “It’s got all of the information you’ll need, just don’t let Ruby or Yang spill anything on it…”

“You’ve already finished?” Weiss asked, only a small trace of surprise in her voice.

“Not yet, but I have a few things I’d like to look into.” Blake said with a shrug. “Return the map when you’re done.”

* * *

Her scroll only served to infuriate her. She idly wondered if her father was doing this deliberately. Using her scroll as a direct means to control her, and in turn, make her time at Beacon even more difficult than it already was. Frankly, the thought had no grounds to back it up. She knew it likely had more to do with the fact that he simply didn’t care about her request. It wasn't his problem just how poorly she did in her classes. Her failure would ultimately bring her home, and she knew that was what he wanted.

He wouldn’t do something so obviously detrimental. It wasn’t that he was above such a thing, but rather, because he was smarter than that. He wouldn’t openly ruin her chances at Beacon, if only because she would use that against him. If it were even the slightest bit true, she would eventually find out. No, he would want her to fail spectacularly on her own. He wouldn’t thwart her, but, she doubted he would do anything remotely helpful either.

She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

All of the community terminals were taken by students, and the waitlist didn’t clear up until late into the evening. She refused to wait that long to finish her assignment.

Using a paper map was nothing like a digital one. Plotting out coordinates took quite a bit more time, and using a ruler to measure out distances lacked the simplicity of easily typing in the names of locations into a search menu. Still, if little else, Weiss was diligent when it came to her studies. Blake had kind enough to allow her to use it, so refusal would have been moronic.

The study session in the library was cut short by the grumbling in her stomach. A brief glance at her scroll confirmed that it was time for dinner. She headed for the meal hall, meeting up with Yang fresh from the showers, and Blake who was doing her best to conceal a textbook from view. When Weiss inquired about the thick black book with yellowed pages, Blake brushed it off, claiming it to be research material. She gave the map back to Blake happily, thankful that at least one assignment had reached completion before mealtime.

It seemed as though things were going well. That for once, everything was going mostly according to plan. Technical issues could be ignored, after all. At worst, she would simply need to buy a new scroll with her own allowance. It was a mild comfort, but one that Weiss greedily allowed herself to have. Together, the three of them made their way through the campus, running into Pyrrha along the way.

“Where’s the rest of your team?” Yang asked idly as Pyrrha joined up with them.

“Ren and Nora have an extracurricular mission to attend.” Pyrrha said as she carried her books lazily in one arm while checking her scroll briefly with her free hand. “They’ll be helping the police academy with a few training exercises.”

“That reminds me, I also have another mission coming up.” Blake said. “I’ll have to check in with the mission coordinator in a few days to find out what I’m being assigned to next.”

“It better not be any more shipments.” Yang grumbled. “That really sucked.”

“If it is, I won’t torture you.” Blake told her with a shrug. “I just won’t bail you out next time you want to go drinking, either.”

“Damn it… Have me by the tits on that one, don’t you Blakey…” Yang said, watching as the Faunus just shrugged nonchalantly for her trouble. Yang could only smirk, turning her attention back to Pyrrha. “That explains Ren and Nora, but where’s Jaune?”

“He was with Ruby and I in the repair shop, but he was called to the nurse’s station for a random drop test. He’ll be here when he’s done with that.” Pyrrha told them. “Come to think of it, I think Ruby went down to the station with him. Something about picking up her medicine while she was done there…”

“Yeah, Ruby was chimed for one of those drop tests too.” Yang said with a soft chuckle. “She got pinged about it this morning. She needed to get her prescription for birth control filled while she was there. It’s probably ready by now. I bet she went to go pick it up.”

“Birth control?” Weiss asked. “I didn’t know she was on them.”

“She’s a little embarrassed about it, but we’re both on it.” Yang shrugged, not minding the fact one way or the other. “Dad really didn’t want to let her come to Beacon, but it was one of his rules. If we were going to a co-ed school and staying on campus, we had to have it.”

Pyrrha’s scroll sounded off, indicating she had received a notification, and glancing at it she typed back a short reply. “Ruby and Jaune are on their way.”

“I still don’t understand why Beacon insists on drop tests in the first place.” Weiss said with a crinkled nose, only just discovering that the practice was routine and expected. “It seems like an invasion of privacy. The six month physicals are one thing, but random urine screenings are quite another.”

“Yeah, but no one likes pissing into a cup on the regular.” Yang told her. “Just the idea that you could be screened at any time keeps a lot of people from giving into the temptation of using something they shouldn't be. Plus, it’s for health reasons too, dust can really screw you up. Ruby got dust poisoning once, she was in bed for a week flushing out her system. It really sucked.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. Dust poisoning is very common if it’s misused.” Weiss told her. “For most people, it isn’t a concern. At least, not when it’s handled properly in small quantities. It’s when people try to inject it, or use dust in large quantities, that it becomes an issue.”

“Yeah, but it still happens.” Yang said, not missing the way that Blake tried to hide a laugh beside her. “Plus, Ruby and dust don’t always mix.”

“Tell me about it.” Weiss muttered with a roll of her eyes. “Even so, I would like to think Ruby’s handling of dust has improved significantly since I became her partner. It would be an insult to think otherwise. She shouldn't need one of those tests.”

“I wouldn’t dwell on it too much, Weiss. The tests are mostly to check for unauthorized drugs and aura enhancing medications that haven’t been prescribed medically.” Pyrrha told her. “They happen in combat academies too. You’d be surprised how many people use performance enhancing drugs to try and gain that extra edge in combat courses.”

“Yeah, and yet those are usually the idiots with the lowest rankings.” Yang added. “They think if they drug themselves up enough it’ll beat out actual talent. A lot of people drop out that way.”

“You say that, but drug use is still all over the place. Marijuana use runs rampant.” Weiss complained. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve smelled it outside on the campus grounds.”

“Pot is legal in Vale, and it’s a common way to blow off steam. A lot of huntsmen smoke it.” Yang told her, reflecting on her own personal experience with the substance. She didn't really enjoy it, but she understood why some people would be. “Being a hunter is a hell of a job. People do whatever they can to cope. I’ve lit up a few times too just to see what it was like. Plus, my uncle wanted to nip that curiosity in the ass before I got to Beacon. He never had to worry about that with Ruby, she’s not into any of that stuff.”

“Well smoking would get people removed from Atlas Academy in an instant. It isn’t legal for use in Atlas without a prescription.” Weiss said as they pushed passed the double doors and into the cafeteria. “I honestly don’t see the appeal. While I agree it may have some medicinal properties, I don’t think it should be open for recreational use.”

Beside her, Yang sighed and changed the subject. Somehow, she had a gut feeling that continuing that line of discussion would only result in a fight. She didn't want that to happen. thankfully, a new topic readily presented itself. “Well, looks like it’s a crappy dinner tonight.” She said, grabbing an empty meal tray.

"Indeed..." Pyrrha said, agreeing as she frowned in displeasure.

"Yeah, I can smell it from here." Blake said. "I have a bad feeling I'm hitting the sandwich line."

“How can you tell that it'll be bad?” Weiss asked her. Mealtime wasn’t as busy today as Weiss expected. She notice that the tables weren’t even half full. Then again, older students were already being assigned missions, so it wasn’t impossible to think many of them were away for the time being.

“Look around.” Yang sad, her hands waving to all of the empty seats. “Usually there’s at least one good thing on the menu, but not always. Older students haven’t clogged up the area. That means whatever’s being served is probably a pile of crap. Once you get to know what’s good and what isn’t, nights like this usually become take out nights.”

“Honestly, ordering a pizza might have been the better option.” Ruby said, coming up behind them only to walk over to the shelf with all of the utensils, condiments, and napkins. Her hands were covered in a mix of mustard and ketchup.

“Ruby, what gives?” Yang asked as the group followed after her. “You look like a ketchup packet exploded all over you.”

“Yeah, I know.” Ruby told her. “Honestly, that’s not far from the truth.”

“I hate to ask this Ruby, but where’s Jaune?” Pyrrha asked, noticing that her teammate hadn’t joined them. “He was with you the last time I saw him.”

“He was, but he had to go change clothes.” Ruby told Pyrrha with a handful of napkins crinkled together, trying to clean herself up. “Cardin dropped a bottle full of condiments from the skywalk and it managed to splatter all over Jaune. I mostly got out of the way in time. He was completely covered in it.”

Pyrrha just scowled. “I take it that it wasn’t an accident…”

“Nope.” Ruby said, popping the word at the end. “It didn’t seem like it. Jaune told me to tell you not to worry about it. He’ll be here once he changes.”

“I really should take Cardin to the arena for this.” Pyrrha murmured unhappily.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Ruby said slowly, tossing away the napkins and turning to Pyrrha worriedly. “Jaune said to just let it go…”

“You don’t really feel that way though, do you Ruby?” Yang asked her sibling. “I could take him on instead. You were hit with that stupid thing too, by the looks of it.” Yang told her, smearing a bit of wayward mustard off of Ruby’s cheek. “I can put him through the wall if you want me to.”

"It is reasonable provocation for a supervised match..." Weiss trailed off thoughtfully. "I'm sure one of the staff would honor it."

"I'd wreck him." Yang said.

“No! Yang, don’t you dare.” Ruby shot back. “Jaune said not to fight, and I’m with him on this. No fighting over spilled ketchup… or mustard...”

“She’s right, Yang. Cardin's a jerk to everyone. If it wasn't Jaune and Ruby, it would have ben someone else. Picking a fight with him won't make him learn anything.” Blake told her. “Let’s just get our food and eat. You’ve got aura training later.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Yang complained as she went to stand in line.

They gathered their meals in relative peace. In the spirit of taking Winter’s advice, Weiss decided to order the same meal that Ruby did. The younger huntress had made it clear that Weiss needed to change her diet, and if Winter insisted on it as well, there was probably some merit in the proposal. Even so, Weiss felt the urge to pile her salad just a little higher than she normally would have, just in case tonight’s dinner proved just as disgusting as Yang had predicted.

Once they sat down with their trays, Ruby tucked into her dinner without complaint. If the younger huntress had any dislike about the meal, she didn’t air it. Weiss decided it was enough to try her own plate of roast beef, hating herself the moment that the first bite touched her lips. Trusting Ruby was a decision that had been made in error. She looked down at her meal, a sickening feeling bubbling up within her gut as she looked at the food in front of her.

“When I said I’d let you decide what I would eat, I didn’t think you’d choose something so…” Weiss poked at it again, she had no words. “You know, this is a lot of food.”

“Eat as much of it as you can.” Ruby told her as she opened her milk carton and depositing a straw inside. “Not just the vegetables, either. If we’re going to hit the training rooms after this you’re going to need the energy.”

“There’s easily two portions of food on my plate.” Little of which actually tasted good, Weiss soon discovered. The gravy had a grainy texture, and the roast beef itself was overcooked. “Abysmal.” She muttered, as she forced down the cafeteria food. “Completely and utterly abysmal.”

“Yeah, not the greatest, but roast beef never is.” Ruby told her, even though she hadn’t stopped eating it.

“Pro tip, stock up on breakfast from now on.” Yang said with a laugh. “Food like this is why we always eat big breakfasts. Dinner is always going to be hit or miss. They can't really screw up breakfast though.”

"Somehow, I doubt that." Weiss could only shiver as she forced down a bite of the meat, washing it down with a larger gulp of water than absolutely necessary. “I assume you had the same meal plan at Signal…”

“Nah, not really.” Ruby said as she scraped the gravy off to the side of her plate. “That’s just the truth about cafeteria food no matter where you go. There are just some menu items that are never as good as they should be.”

“But you attended a premier combat academy!” Weiss complained. “Surely the meals would be up to a certain quality. This isn't even fit for a dog, let alone a person.”

“Nutritionally speaking, all of Beacon's meals are completely adequate. It’s the flavor that sometimes misses the mark.” Pyrrha told her while slicing into her own meal. “Still, we learn to tolerate it. Training is hungry work after all.”

“you can say that again... I just wish the other option wasn't liver and onions. What ever happened to a ham dinner, or at least a damn hamburger.” Yang added, wishing she had piled on more scrambled eggs that morning to compensate for what would end up being a small meal. She wouldn't finish her dinner today, it just wasn't enjoyable. Beside her, Blake was busy enjoying a tuna sandwich, her go to meal whenever the dinner service lacked something palatable. “That’s the third sandwich this week, you must really like those things.”

“More than I do the roast beef or liver and onions.” Blake told her, turning a page in her history book as she went back to her reading. Amber eyes focused on the page, unwilling to further elaborate on the subject. “If you don’t like that, Weiss, the deli counter has decent sandwiches. There's always some sort of chicken or turkey sub you can order...”

"Those always sell out fast, though." Pyrrha warned. "If you plan to do that on a day like today, you must get into the line early."

"That's why I'm lucky." Blake said quite happily. "No one ever messes with tuna I'm sure there's still more of those, if you'd like one, Weiss.."

“I do not eat canned tuna. I’ll make do, thanks.” Weiss said, looking down grudgingly at the beef once more. “At least, for today… Although, that does pose a question. Does anyone know what's on the dinner menu for tomorrow?”

"It's Friday, so it'll be fish of some sort I think." Yang said.

Blake felt her lips curl as she took another bite of her dinner. She knew cod would be served, and she just couldn't wait.

* * *

Professor Peach looked up from her paperwork to see a black bird sitting at the window. She sent the creature an annoyed glance, knowing exactly why it was there, and why it made a habit to loiter around during this time of day. Another catastrophic failure sent glass flying, and the aging woman drew her attention back to the pupil who couldn’t seem to control the ferocity of her own aura.

Shattered glass hit the trash with a swipe of Yang’s hand and a muttered curse. She wanted and needed to be better than this, but her results weren’t improving no matter how hard she tried. Professor Peach had told her to work with her aura and not against it, but that advice hadn’t proven useful. Yang groused as she blinked her eyes and tried to calm down her anger. She grabbed another orb, continuing with her hopeful interrogation.

“She’s still in Vale, right?” Yang asked, focusing her aura and shattering another glass bulb to bits on accident. “I’m mean, she’s got to be here somewhere, right?”

“I believe that should be a question for your father.” The professor said calmly, once again refusing to give Yang more than a surface level reply to that question. Yang was clamoring to know more about Raven, and while the professor admired her tenacity, she felt it was slightly misplaced.

“Yeah, how about no. Asking dad won’t do any good. He’s not going to tell me anything.” Yang said, picking up another orb. “I’m asking you to tell me what you know.”

“I’m not omnipotent.” The professor told her, not looking up from the papers she had been grading. “She could be in Vale at the moment, but she also travels quite often. She may not be anymore.”

“But, I’d be willing to bet that you know something…” Yang said, another orb meeting its demise. “I just want to make contact with her, that’s all.”

“What I know isn’t anything of benefit to you.” The professor told her. “Focus on your training, endeavor to achieve that first. It’ll be more serviceable to you than Raven’s whereabouts.”

“See, I don’t believe that.” Yang said, looking over to the half-empty box and scowling at the project ahead of her. “I think meeting her will help me with my training. At least then I’ll know who she really is, and where I came from.”

The professor found herself in a dubious situation. On the one hand, the woman Yang was looking for happened to be much closer than Yang seemed to understand. On the other, family matters weren’t her concern to trifle with. A little white lie would save her the headache, but, at what cost to her student? Of that, she couldn’t be sure.

“Well, I don’t know for sure where she is. Truthfully, it is mere conjecture that she’s in Vale right this very moment.” The professor sighed at length. She chose the lie, hating every moment of it. She glanced back to the window, and she cursed her luck. “Then again, my intuition isn’t likely to be wrong, either.”

“Yeah, well then, where in Vale is she?” Yang pressed. “What’s your intuition tell you about that?”

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she found herself at a loss. “That I wouldn’t dare to speculate upon. Doing so never bodes well.” She never knew what went through Taiyang’s head when he chose to keep his child at arm’s length away from her mother. The Faunus couldn’t comprehend the action, simply because they would cross paths eventually. It would be inevitable if Yang continued to search for the woman. “I’m certainly not her keeper, and Raven is the sort that you can simply demand answers from. If she wants to be found, she will be. It is that simple.”

Another ball shattered, and Yang bit her lip. “What a pain in the ass…”

“When I spoke of your mother, it was with the intention to educate you.” The professor bit out unhappily. “It was not so that you could fulfill your childish whims.”

“Wanting to know about my mom is childish?” Yang bit out. “Are you really going to pull that card on me?”

“Listen to me very carefully. If you wish to find Raven, then you must manage that on her terms, not mine.” The elderly woman closed a thin file and placed it away in her desk before searching for another one. “Now then, for the sake of education, I’ll tell you that your eyes turn red when you’re angry. That is not a trait you inherited from your father. Unlike your mother, your rage doesn’t consume you. However, unless you wish to look like her perpetually, I’d suggest you learn to control it.”

“I’m trying.” Yang shot back. “Do you think I keep blowing these stupid things up for fun?”

“I think you’re focused too much on your aura, and not on your temperament when using it.” The woman then pointed to the box of orbs in front of Yang. “Aura is a defense mechanism, much like the immune system. It will weaponized in an attempt to protect you. It will act indiscriminately, so if you wish for it to become less vitriolic, you must demand the same of your temper. You cannot act with the same mentality you would when facing a threat.”

“Well combat school never taught me how to use it any other way!” Yang fired back, eyes blinking red again. “Blame them, not me! Fighting is all I know how to do…”

The aging professor sighed as she licked her lips. “Let me ask you this, what sort of huntress do you wish to be?”

“What do you mean?” Yang asked. “A huntress is a huntress.”

“There are huntresses that search for battle, and there are those who defend against threats when they arrive.” Professor Peach said, picking up a thick pamphlet and walking over to slap it upon Yang’s desk none too gently. “There are some huntresses who endeavor to prevent Grimm from attacking, and huntresses who clean up the mess when tragedy strikes. Not every mission requires fighting. In fact, it should be the last resort. Preventative measures are the best method to ensure the safety of everyone.”

At this the professor sighed at length. Yang was proving to be a very difficult student, and the outcome of her training wouldn’t be favorable if she continued to focus her efforts anywhere other than her training. “You mother searches for conflict, she has the aura to do so. Furthermore, she has the ability to travel the kingdoms quickly and unseen. Following in her footsteps is not ideal. You must train to your utmost, I guarantee if you do, your mother will eventually come to you.”

"You really think so..."

That hopeful look did the professor in.

She nodded, dispute herself. "I know so, without a shadow of a doubt."


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be out on Friday...

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XXI **

If there was one thing to be said about Ruby, it was that she was an impressive fighter when it came to slaying the monsters of the world. She knew exactly how to handle herself in a fight against the Grimm. If those same tactics translated to fighting with a critically thinking adversary, Blake was sure that Ruby would be the best among first year students year. As it stood, however, Ruby lacked what it took to face down an opponent looking for a good spar. Blake looked up at the ranking board located in the combat classroom. As she began to rise in the rankings along with Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, and Yang, Ruby began to fall in standing.

She could hear the girl’s disheartened mumblings from where she stood. Ruby had lost twentieth place standing, drifting down to twenty-third. “I don’t get it.” She said unhappily. “How come you’re so good at arena fighting?” It was a blow to Ruby’s ego, surely.

“I’m not, really.” Blake said softly, not bothering to glance up at the board. She didn't need to. Rankings meant nothing. She knew what it meant to be in a life or death fight, and arena matches supervised by a teacher were a poor substitute for the real thing.

“You bypassed Yang.” Ruby told her. “I can’t believe it."

"I can." She murmured, more to herself than to Ruby.

"It’s so cool, but also kind of crazy to think about...”

“It’s not that impressive.” Blake replied, mop in hand and scrub bucket at her feet. This weekend she was acting as a glorified janitor to earn her keep for the scholarship as her mission from Goodwitch dictated. She had three rooms to clean from top to bottom that day, and another six to finish before the new week started. “My education wasn’t the same as yours. I was trained fighting people, not Grimm. Considering that, I should be higher in the standings.”

“Yeah, but still!” Ruby shot back, as she stood on a ladder, washing down the ranking board as students flashed across the screen. “She was one of the best fighters in Signal. Now she’s all the way down to number fifteen. She used to be in the top three, that’s how she got a combat scholarship in the first place.”

“Signal is just one school though, and Beacon students come from all around.” Blake told her, not wanting to think about why she was such a skilled fighter. The truth of the matter wasn’t something to be proud of. “Speaking of, why isn’t Yang helping us?”

“Combat scholarships are different than admission ones..."

"Different in what way?"

"Her combat ranking needs to stay pretty high, but I don't know what the threshold is..." Ruby told her. "That, and she needs to clock way more time in the gym than we do."

"What about her mission assignments."

"Oh, she has them, it's just not like ours. She’s got to help tutor the basic combat class in Signal a few times a month. It's one-on-one training. I had a tutor too when I just entered into the program, but it didn't stick with me. I would have needed to drop out, but my uncle started training me after that.” Ruby told Blake, biting her lip as she began to climb down the ladder. “You know, that’s one of the reasons I wanted to come to Beacon so bad. My family came here, and I wanted to be a huntress so I started setting my sights on Beacon. When I was just a kid starting out, I kept seeing all of these Beacon students talking about their weapons and showing us how to use them… I just kept thinking to myself just how cool they all were. I wanted to be like them.”

“Well, you are one of them now…” Blake said, wondering if the reality matched up with the dream. She didn't ask, it was better not to. Ruby seemed to be an open book, and that kind of person was prone to attach to others quickly. "I guess that means you're achieving your goals at least."

“I know…” Ruby said, smirking a little as she climbed the stairs and began washing down the long rows of stadium style seats that looked over the fighting ring. “My goal has just started though, I think. Maybe it's just because I was a kid back then, but they seemed so much stronger than I am right now. I wish I could measure up like they did…”

“Who’s to say you don’t?”

“I don’t know, it’s just a feeling that I get.” Ruby told her. "That, and my ranking kind of makes me feel that way too." 

“You just need to train harder, Ruby.” Blake told her. “Fighting people isn’t the same as fighting Grimm. Besides, there’s over a hundred students in the first year. Twenty-three isn’t a bad number to have.”

“The next round of cuts are coming up though." Ruby told her. "I'm safe for now, but it'll bring my over all ranking down in the long run. I’m the lowest on the team, Weiss bypassed me too. I’m the team leader, I shouldn’t be falling so far behind. I don't want to be the reason why we're sent to an auxiliary school.”

“Then just don't be, Ruby, it's that simple. Don't use Weiss as a way to measure yourself, either. She had private tutors.” Blake groused, even thinking about that annoyed her. “Don’t compare yourself to her, that doesn't fix anything.”

“You really don’t like Weiss, do you?”

"I have my reasons..."

"It'd be nice if you could get along better, though." Ruby said then, knowing that the two girls rarely spoke, and when they did it was almost always school related.

“That's easier said than done. She doesn’t really have a clue what it’s really like out there.” Blake said then, with the floor spick and span she could finally move onto helping Ruby with the desks. “She’s had a silver spoon in her mouth her entire life, and I don’t like that. I’d rather team up with someone who knows how to survive, than team up with someone who only knows how to fight when the conditions are ideal. It’s never like that outside of the kingdoms.”

“I guess…” ruby trailed off, not sure that she really believed that.

“Trust me, you’re way better off than you think.” Blake told her. “Now let’s finish cleaning so that don’t miss dinner. I want to get there before the cod runs out and we get stuck with tilapia.”

* * *

Blake didn't anticipate that she would have to spend even more time with Ruby after dinner. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened as they returned to the dorm.

Yang was out with her friends, Weiss was busy working on something, and Pyrrha was helping Jaune to study.

Ruby found herself bored, but far too exhausted to muster the courage to wander the campus alone in search of something to do. Instead, she gazed up at the shelves of books. Blake had so many of them, like her own personal library. More deliveries kept coming in, and Blake placed most of them on the shelves in alphabetical order. She was careful with her books, those of mostly historical texts and plenty of war era diaries were kept on the top shelves. The lower ones contained fantasy and romance novels, a much more sparse collection, but the one that seemed to be growing.

Ruby knew that there was another collection of books kept under lock and key beneath Blake’s bed, stuffed inside her suitcase. Ruby had no idea what those books were, only that Blake said it wasn’t any of her business when she had asked about it.

Ruby sighed at length, wanting to ask a question. She was just too timid to do so. Blake would probably say no anyway, she was protective of her books like that.

Amber eyes looked up from her current tome, noticing Ruby’s fixation on her collection. It wasn’t the first time Ruby had expressed a curiosity over her reading material, but it was the first time the girl seemed to have gotten lost in the titles. Terrified to touch them, and all the more curious because of it. She tried to remind herself that her team leader couldn’t possibly be a child, although she certainly looked like one as she gazed longingly at a worn out cover that had caught her attention.

Blake closed her book, walking over to the shelf in question. Upon closer inspection, Ruby seemed to be eyeing one of the fairytales. It was a rather thick compilation of stories from the earliest parts of civilization. Blake plucked it from the shelf and held it out to her. “This is the one you wanted, right?” She asked, not particularly interested in Ruby’s answer one way or the other.

“Um… Yeah.” Ruby said, gingerly taking it from Blake’s hand. As though it was fragile and easily broken. Two things that the hard cover book was not, despite its age. “It was one of my favorites as a kid.”

“That’s a pretty gory book for a child to be reading…” Blake said off handedly. “I can’t imagine why you’d want to…”

“Well some of the earliest stories of hunters and huntresses are in this. Some of the most popular tales were committed to record here.” Ruby said, holding it aloft as if it was some sort of bible, and not just a book of imagination running wild. “Before the original edition was published, I think these stories were told by word of mouth only. At least, I haven’t seen any other book have the same stories in it unless it was published at a later date… Maybe I’m wrong, but I think this author was the first to put it all down on paper. It’s a classic.”

“I wouldn’t know.” Blake said. “Honestly, I didn’t find it very entertaining.”

“Are you kidding? This book is one of the best I’ve ever read.” Ruby gushed happily. “I had a copy when I was little kid, and Yang used to read it to me every night. I loved it, but my book got damaged when I was ten. A Grimm wandered into the back yard one day and chewed it all up.”

“I can’t say that I see the appeal in it. I wasn’t particularly interested in most of the stories.” Blake said, returning to her bed. “If you’re that fond of it, just keep it.”

Gunmetal eyes sparkled as Ruby’s jaw dropped. “Really?”

“Really, just keep it.” Blake said, hardly interested in the thick tome. “It’s taking up space on my shelf anyway.”

* * *

Ruby was obsessed with the book. Fawning over every page and pouring over every line of text.

At first, Blake assumed it was a passing interest. A comfort found within the confines of nostalgia, and very little more. However, as she soon came to discover, Ruby’s attention to it was more than that. She didn’t just turn the page and expect to carry on with her reading. No, far from it. She lingered, her fingers flowing along the illustrations, her eyes seeming to drink in every little detail. She would frown every now and then, seemingly contemplating something before turning the page and continuing on.

She took it with her everywhere. Sneaking glances between classes, and reading it after she finished her lunch. She stayed up late reading it, her tiny book light glowing in the darkness of the room on more than one occasion. Blake didn’t understand why Ruby was so fixated, and at first she truly didn’t care. Honestly, she probably would have never thought to consider the situation again, if it weren’t for the fact that Ruby didn’t seem to treat any other book with the same sort of care.

Her other books, mostly the ones with soft covers, had dog-eared pages and bends in the spines. She stacked them haphazardly, and without any rhyme or reason. Hard covered books tended to have papers sticking out of them, and small blotches on the pages. Well used, but certainly poorly looked after. The book that Blake had given Ruby wasn’t treated the same way. Ruby almost seemed to protect it, so that the old tome wouldn’t be damaged even in the slightest.

It wasn’t the first time that Blake concluded that there was more to Ruby than met the eye. However, it was the first time she had ever managed to truly attempt to be friendly to the girl, which as Blake soon discovered, came with its own set of problems.

“Blake… you don’t go out much, do you?” It was a simple question perhaps, at least on the surface. Merely that of passing curiosity.

“No, not usually.” Blake replied distractedly, busy filling out a request form. She would need to get it approved by the faculty, but considering she couldn’t really attend combat class without dust and ammunition, she doubted it would be denied.

“Well, would you want to go do something?” Ruby asked.

“Not particularly.” Blake said, offering only a small glance Ruby’s way. Those hopeful silver eyes aimed her way. It was endearing as it was annoying. “If you’d like to be useful, sign off on this…” Blake said, handing Ruby the request form in question.

“Oh you have to fill out these stupid things too, huh?” Ruby said, looking it over. Several pages had been filled out, one for each request. “Let’s see… Bullets, dust refills, dust solvent...” The young leader shrugged, putting her name at the bottom of the page. “There you go. Hey, you know, if you aren’t busy we could go to the pool again.”

“I’m not really a fan of cold water…” It was a bold faced lie, and one she didn’t like making. A twinge of guilt settled over her. She did like the water. She just didn’t like rough water, and going in the water would mean wearing a swimmer cap if she were to swim properly. Otherwise the chlorine would agitate her sensitive ears, and wearing something that was so form fitting would certainly oust her as the Faunus she was.

She couldn’t risk that.

“But you were in the hot tub that one day…” Ruby trailed off thoughtfully. “Oh, we could go relax in that, if you just don’t like deep water.”

“It’ll be busy, and I really don’t want to mingle with the crowds. You should go on without me.”

“But there’s all kinds of activities going on right now…”

“So go do them and have a good time.”

“I thought… you know… maybe you’d like to come with me. There’s a movie on in about an hour. I think it’s a romantic comedy. We could go to that. I doubt there’ll be a lot of people there. It’s some old black and white film, it’s probably not very popular.”

Blake ever so slightly clenched her jaw. She didn’t know if Ruby just couldn’t take the hint, or refused to. Either way, making friends was a dangerous idea. Every close bond she made posed a threat to her ultimate goal. Keeping her identity hidden for the time being meant keeping up emotional walls, and laying down firm boundaries. Her teammates seemed like nice people, but then, so had Adam once upon a time.

But… that was wrong. He was a nice person at one point in his life. He didn’t become a genocidal maniac because he suddenly flipped a switch. It was a gradual thing, his anger made worse when those in the White Fang validated his aggressive actions. Blake had heard it herself over the years, Faunus praising him for a job well done when things became violent. He hadn’t been the only one to shoot to kill. He was just the only one that truly took that praise to heart, and allowed it to shift his way of thinking.

Even remembering that made her heart hurt inexplicably...

It was a gradual shift. Adam was a young man that had been wronged by the injustices of the world. He just didn’t deal with it in a healthy way. He had been abused in his past, hiding his face because what lingered there was a blight to the Faunus population. It was reason enough to hate Weiss, to hate the entire Schnee family. He refused to use his pain as an endeavor to help others. Instead, it consumed him, and in a small way, she blamed herself for that too. She had been young and angry too, willing to fight, when even her own parents refused to.

She just didn’t find any satisfaction in killing the way he did. That was really the only difference. It might have been a key one, but the lines were so blurry now.

Maybe, if she had talked to him sooner. Maybe if she had tried to reach out, if she had given him some other way to vent his frustrations… Maybe then, things would have been different. This path, the one of a huntress, made whispers in the back of her mind. They warned her that this path could be just as dark, just as misguided. It would be able to change the people she knew, herself, and her teammates.

There was a very really possibility that she could end up just like him. That terrified her.

“Blake…?”

“I’m sorry, Ruby, I was distracted. What were you saying?”

“I asked if you wanted to come with me to a movie or something…”

“I’m not really interested.”

“Not even a little?”

“Not really.” Blake said, believing it was better this was. Her personal time was best kept to herself, like so many other things that she valued. “I didn’t come to Beacon for the sake of my own amusement. I came here to study.”

“But you like to read… Do you go to the book club?”

“No.”

“Would you want to?”

“No.”

There was no good way to explain that to Ruby. Nothing that wouldn’t bring up more questions that Blake didn’t care to answer. She didn’t want to join any organization right now, not even something as arguably harmless as a book club. Books could be political, like so many other things. An author’s ideologies were some of the strongest material in most written media, or so she felt as she recalled so many historical texts. What a person read, and what value they took from that, said a lot about them.

Things that, if Blake were honest with herself, confused her more than comforted her.

“Oh… but you like reading so much… I just thought it might be something you might like to do… Hey, maybe we could join up together. What do you think?”

“No, I'm not interested.”

Far from it. The thought terrified her. Student run club activities were a coin toss, and she didn’t want to be the one to make that gamble so soon. Aside from that, she rationalized that most book clubs had assigned reading, and that wasn’t something she cared to trouble herself with. Classes put enough recommended reading in her lap, she wasn’t about to mix scholastic endeavors with pleasure.

“But why not?”

“I don’t care for clubs, Ruby.” Blake found herself saying, keeping her voice as neutral as possible. The girl meant well, of course. Ruby was only trying to reach out, make some sort of connection…misguided as that might have been. Deep down, Blake understood that, but she still didn’t care for her leader following her around like a lost puppy in need of a home. “When I read, I prefer to do it on my own.”

“So… You wouldn’t want to read with me then…”

Blake did her best to keep her ears from twitching from beneath her bow. She didn’t like that tone of voice, sad and lonely, particularly while it was aimed at her. She knew she needed to hold her ground on the matter, if only because getting to close to any of her teammates would spell disaster. A series of well kept secrets began with playing everything close to the chest.

“I read to relax, not socialize.” Blake told her, closing her own book and checking the time. “It’s time for my remedial training anyway, I’ve got to go…” She said, refusing to elaborate that she needed to be in Peach’s office for her remedial class. Instead, she made her escape, leaving an all too lonesome Ruby behind in the dorm.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *** Please read, important info here***
> 
> Between spotty internet and the uploader giving me grief all day this is out much later than I anticipated. The chapter is likely to be riddle with more errors than usual because I don't know if the final edits that I would usually catch have saved correctly. It's annoying me beyond belief, but...this is fan fiction, and there comes a point where I just shrug and let it be. So shoving it up as is, without its final edits. I will return later to do any fixes I catch, but other than that it is what it is.
> 
> I don't have a planned day for the next chapter.
> 
> ***This is the last major blowout for all of the characters. It comes to a head here. Ruby steps up to the plate as a leader. Yang learns that her sister has the authority, and Weiss and Blake are shown that being too competitive comes with consequences.***
> 
> Also this is the point in the fan fiction where in some chapters it becomes a song-fic. It's rare, so you won't see song fic chapters like these very often, but this song I truly fell exemplifies what Blake and Weiss go through at the early onset of the series. It truly *fits* the emotional baggage they both carry, and how that does truly hold them back, even if they truly *want and need* to do better for themselves. They just haven't reached a point where that happens yet.
> 
> The song is "I Go To Extremes" and it is sung by Billy Joel.

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If? ** **  
Chapter XXII **

* * *

Call me a joker, call me a fool  
Right at this moment I'm totally cool  
Clear as a crystal, sharp as a knife  
I feel like I'm in the prime of my life  
Sometimes it feels like I'm going too fast  
I don't know how long this feeling will last  
Maybe it's only tonight

* * *

Blake was tired, and she had slept terribly. The entire next day, she muddled through her studies groggily. Her meals tasted foul, and her thoughts were on overdrive. She had her remedial class to thank for that, wishing she had chosen to speak with her parents instead. Maybe then, the information at hand wouldn’t be so troubling. Blake couldn’t wrap her head around the lesson that Peach had tried to impart to her.

She desperately wanted to, but found herself at a loss.

The emotional ramifications of mating extended far beyond what Blake thought possible. After the lesson, she found herself in the library late into the night, skimming through a series of medical notes on the subject. There was to some degree a physiological component to mating as well. A drastic change that Faunus began to undergo during the mating process. Pheromones began to change, hormones shifted within them. In some Faunus, women would begin a heat cycle. Meanwhile, some men would begin to go into musk seasonally.

A mental imprint was made between a mated pair. Most Faunus tended to mate for life, if they were driven to mate at all. Just like offspring would be drawn to their families by their inherent nature, mates were the same. They would be drawn to each other, for better and for worse. Bonded pairs were intrinsically tied together. In a vast majority of cases, mating was a harmonious thing, but, not everyone was so lucky.

As Blake was quickly learning, not all Faunus saw mating as an act of love. Some saw it as a matter of territory. There were Faunus that didn’t mate because of love, but rather mated because doing so gave them far more control in a relationship. Faunus that saw lovers as property would mate because their chosen spouse would be much more inclined to submit to their whims, no matter how toxic. In the wrong hands, that could be a very dangerous thing.

 _“You will come to find that when a mate is poorly treated, it is not a mild occurrence.”_ The professor had explained seriously. Her words still echoing in Blake’s mind, the enormity of it all was unfathomable. Blake knew, on some level, she shouldn’t have been surprised. Humans could mistreat their loved ones, too, so why would it be any different for a Faunus? _“It poses a rather extreme threat to those around them. Faunus like that can become possessive, and there are several documented cases of this. In the most extreme situations, Faunus have found themselves lost to their own bloodlust. Seeking to kill anything or anyone that threatens what they perceive to be their territory, and their property.”_

At that point, as the professor explained, baser instincts tended to rule over common sense and rational thinking. It was purely instinct, an animalistic drive at its very core. It was as much about chemical release, as it was a biological drive to protect what was theirs. Even if that idea of protection was twisted and contorted into something far more sinister. Professor Peach was right. There were plenty of documented cases of Faunus entering into abusive relationships, only to refuse help when the relationship turned sour.

A Faunus of sound mind and integrity wouldn’t be quick to leave a mate, no matter how bad the mistreatment was. They would not seek help, they would not retreat. Some didn’t even understand the gravity of the situation until it was too late. This was why the value of the social whole was so important. Social groups formed based on closely knit ties, marked bonds that added an extra layer of protection against possible abuse.

Alpha Faunus commanded leadership among the communities. Those beneath them would start vying for power the moment that such leadership was mishandled or taken for granted. A strong alpha was the sort that could lead because they were well-respected. They would oust particularly dangerous Faunus, and shut down conflict before it began. They would mentor and teach, protecting those who could not protect themselves.

Blake’s mother and father came to her mind as two such people, leading an entire population because it suited them. Looking after their own kind, because that’s what came natural. Alpha’s typically sought other alphas, or beta Faunus. They chose like minds, because that was the natural order.

A good alpha continued maintaining authority within a social group because it was in the best interest of those around them. However, the balance of power could shift at any moment. As others with the drive to lead sought that power for themselves, shifts in the group's dynamic occasionally took place. Sometimes, they would succeed. Other times, they wouldn't.

Beta Faunus, those lower in the social rankings made up the vast majority of Faunus society. They were likely the most kindred spirits to humans that a Faunus could be. Instinct didn’t compel them as heavily in either direction. While it lingered deep within the soul of every Faunus, Beta’s were simply better at shutting down baser urges that dictated Faunus nature. As a whole, they were neither completely submissive, nor in direct contention for a leadership role. All in all, they were happy to cohabitate with others. So long as their lot in life suited them, they were happy to go on living their lives without disputes. They were quick to follow orders, when those orders made sense. They were also quick to back new alpha that searched for supremacy when the current alpha no longer suited their needs.

Velvet came to mind, the girl seemed quite happy to follow Coco’s lead. What little interaction Blake had with the girl indicated that Velvet seemed very willing to voice her thoughts, though she seemed to avoid undue conflict. She pointedly ignored the look that a few bigoted humans gave her. She was more than happy to go about her day in spite of it. She was passive, but not docile. She certainly had the guts to become a huntress, which spoke volumes about how she chose to conduct her life in meaningful ways. For Velvet, conflict itself was for a good cause, and only for that good cause. In the hands of capable fellowship with others, she would go on to do great things.

Inn truth, the White Fang was built primarily on these two vast populations. They were the bread and butter of the White Fang, which, in retrospect explained why it had turned so violent after her parents had left the fold. Her father had been removed from his role as the high leader when the majority of the White Fang no longer saw merit in his way of doing things. Graciously he had stepped down, as a good alpha should, finding new people to lead that would find value in his ideals.

Not all alphas were so willing to relinquish their position, and more than one bloody battle had taken place in the White Fang when the balance of power became called into question. The new high leader was a vicious sort of woman, and those in positions of power beneath her were also prone to viciousness. Adam has risen the ranks quickly because he was willing to fight at a moment’s notice, no matter the casualty count. He too, was an alpha. A textbook example of the dangerous kind, the very sort that the book warned about.

Commanding with acts aggression and shows of power. Choosing the lead with intimidation, instead of being chosen because of his hard earned respect.

The third type of Faunus, the omegas, were the sort that Blake didn't have experience with. Se had never made friends with one, and never sought to. They weren't the outgoing sort. They were the least keen to search for a fight. Less willing to speak up, and most commonly followed the whims of the social group as a whole. A mostly silent population among the outspoken masses. They didn’t want to upset the balance of power, and they certainly never aimed higher than their station. These Faunus were the lowest ranking among the Faunus, and typically quite happy to be there.

It was the omega Faunus that were the most prone to slip into abusive relationships, and the ones that rarely came out of the matter unscathed. Without someone else willing to intervene, they wouldn’t be able to escape the mistreatment of others. It just wasn’t within their nature to try. Without the power of their social group to protect them, an omega would always be risk for the worst kinds of treatment. Both from humans, and other Faunus.

Blake sighed as she closed the book. She had been unaware of just how critical those social roles were to her people. On some unspoken level, she had always known that safety was in numbers, but she never realized that a healthy social group was the key to healthy mating. She never assumed it extended that far, and it never occurred to her to consider that a possibility. Then again, mating had never been thought to cross her mind in the past.

* * *

Darling I don't know why I got to extremes  
Too high or too low there ain't no in-betweens  
And if I stand or I fall  
It's all or nothing at all  
Darling I don't know why I got to extremes

* * *

“What are you working on?” Weiss asked, startling Blake clean out of her seat.

“Weiss!” Blake shrieked, slamming her book closed. She grit her teeth and sighed, her voice wavering. “Don’t scare me like that…”

“Apologies, but you looked as though you needed a bit of help.” Weiss replied, setting her own books down. “I just got released from remedial training, so I have my own assignments to do. However, if you are struggling with a subject, I’d be willing to help out.”

“I don’t need help. I was just researching material for my sex-ed class.” Blake said cryptically, hoping Weiss wouldn’t pry further on the subject. Seeing blue eyes widen and Weiss looked away, Blake figured she was in the clear. That was for the better. “Needless to say, it isn’t an enjoyable subject.”

“Indeed… Well then…” Weiss said, clearing her throat and inching her books further away and taking a seat well away from Blake. “Hopefully your research goes according to plan…” Sexual topics of any nature, even academic, wasn’t a topic she particularly want to help with. By Blake’s overt reaction, she didn’t want the help anyway. Weiss could understand that, at the very least. Dignity demanded that such matters weren’t spoken about in an open library.

She opened her book on survival training and scowled at her own assignment.

“What did Port tell you to do this time?” Blake found herself asking, if only because she wasn’t about to open her book again. Fleeing from the library might seem a bit odd after that less than stellar exchange. She didn’t want there to be any questions later. She wouldn’t be able to answer them.

“I’ve been asked to write an essay about the poisonous species of plants across the kingdoms.” Weiss said, quite unhappily at that. “It needs to be at least twenty pages, and cover at least ten types of plants. Worst of all, it’s due at the end of next week. Furthermore, he emphasized that it must be compelling to read. We’ll be marked down if the reading is too dry.”

“Oh, that’s harsh.” Blake said, wincing.

“Tell me about it. Honestly, how do you make a paper on poisonous plants interesting to read? It’s almost as if he wants us to fail.” Weiss agreed, no small amount of distaste in her words as she sighed at length. “I don’t know how in the world he thinks we can accomplish that on top of all of our other material.”

“We’ll, they are trying to cram years of survival training into a really short about of time.” Blake said after a bit to think on it for herself. “Outside of the kingdoms, there’s a lot of threats. You’ve got to know stuff like this, or you could get yourself killed.”

“This would be a non-issue if I had Ruby here to help me.” Weiss went on to say. “She can recite this sort of thing in her sleep.”

“Right… and where is Ruby now?”

“Drowning under a sea of mathematics, I’m on my own.”

* * *

Sometimes I'm tired, sometimes I'm shot  
Sometimes I don't know how much more I've got  
Maybe I'm headed over the hill  
Maybe I've set myself up for the kill  
Tell me how much do you think you can take  
Until the heart in you is starting to break?  
Sometimes it feels like it will

* * *

Blake just sighed, wondering if the heiress truly understood the full scope of knowledge that she would have to attain. Then again, Blake doubted it, just like she doubted she could fully anticipate what classes had in store. A dark part of herself found a little vindication in the struggle that Weiss seemed to be having. She didn’t like admitting it to herself, but it felt good to have a skill that Weiss didn’t have. Outmatching the girl that had been given the superior advantage in life in almost every single way.

It made her feel useful, as though coming to Beacon wasn’t some grandiose mistake.

Yet, what good was that power at the moment? If she refused to use it, even at least a little, what was the point of having it? Blake licked her lips at that, taking a breath and forcing down a harsh sigh. She had her own pride as an alpha too, after all. Crippled beyond belief though that image was, and with very little to feel proud about in the wake of her failings, she knew the one intrinsic truth that her father had imparted on her.

Power itself was a useless thing. It came in many forms, but, there was a limit to each one. A balance rested between them all. Use power too much, and it ceases to be power at all, only destruction. Use it too little, and that power ceases to be in the first place. Knowledge was one such touchstone that could make or break an alpha. It was a power, and one that Blake currently held in the palm of her hand when it came to this subject. She knew the wilds almost as well as Ruby did, if not more than the girl due to her travels.

While it was true that Ruby was likely the expert in the team when it came to Vale, Blake had traveled far and wide, seeming more of the world firsthand. It came down to a single question then. What would she do? Keep it to herself, or use the power at her disposal to lend aid to another?

"Ruby's not the only one in Beacon that can survive in the wilds."

"She's the best I know."

That hurt. Blake felt the sting of that, as if her own abilities were being disregarded. It was backwards pride, she knew that, but she couldn't help feeling angry anyway. A show of skill then, the only way she knew how. She would prove her worth, and she wouldn't ever let Weiss under estimate her again.

“Weiss, I can probably help you with this just as much as Ruby can.” Blake said, making a choice that came strictly down the fact that Weiss was her teammate. Like it or not, she believed exactly what she told Ruby the day before. A teammate who could not survive in the wilds would end up being a detriment to the group. “She’s not the only one that can rattle off that kind of information.”

“Then what book on the subject would you suggest?” Weiss asked. “This one is too basic to be of any use to me, but I haven’t found another that may be worth my time.”

“Never mind the books. I’ll make you a list and you can go from there.” Blake said, taking a blank sheet of paper in hand. “In Vale there’s poison ivy, oak, and sumac. That grows all over the place. They’re easy to identify, so they aren’t particularly dangerous to most huntsmen. They’re just irritating.” She said, writing the names down. “Then there’s giant hogweed, white snakeroot, stinging nettles, poison hemlock, and foxglove.” Once again, she jotted down the names. “Those are less common, but they’re still easy to find outside of the kingdoms. Pretty much anything in the night shade family needs to be avoided….” Blake trailed off, raising a brow when Weiss gawked at her. “Want me to continue?”

“That isn’t very funny…” Weiss deadpanned as she watched Blake smirk just a little too prideful for her own good.

“Isn’t it, though?” Blake teased.

“You’re taking far too much amusement in this…” Weiss told her. She didn't appreciate Blake's smug tone, and had no idea where it had come from.

“Continuing on then.” Blake said with a shrug, nearly preening inwardly. There was so much satisfaction in that frustrated gaze, as if, she had managed to get her attention and keep it. She was being noticed, and not or the ears on her head, but for her mind. Her pragmatism, her skill. She soaked up that feeling, better than any combat high, because it was pure instinct. A pure proof that she was, in some way, superior. “Jimsonweed and Oleander are more common in Mistral, but it can be found in Vale and Vacuo too. Azaleas and Rhododendrons are a common plant, but that’s on the list because you can make poison with the sap. Over the years, people have been assassinated with what’s called mad honey, which is made from the sap. Back during the war, the Faunus used it to weaken the human forces before they attacked.” Blake sat laid down the pencil and slid the paper over to Weiss. “There are more, but that’s what comes to mind off of the top of my head. It’s a start at least.”

“Your studiousness had been duly noted…”

Weiss didn't understand. Another punch to the gut. Blake's point wasn't getting through. Another method then. “It’s not about being studious, I just don’t want to die.”

“Self-preservation then.”

“Now, that I’ll agree with.”

“That’s a first.” Weiss said dryly.

That pride knotted up again. Blake could feel it. She wasn't valued like Ruby was. Wasn't given a chance to show her real power. Other Faunus would have understood her desperate need to be valued as an asset. They'd understand her desire for acceptance, and would have sought hers in return. Weiss had no idea, couldn't understand, and wouldn't fathom the unspoken complexity of Blake's emotional needs. The sort that all Faunus had, and always wanted for. The mentality that came from living and communing together.

She was on a team of humans. In this social group she was the outsider. The one that simply didn't fit in, and she never would. She wanted to cry, but instead she latched onto the drive to show Weiss up. To dominate and prove she wasn't just the failures that her mind told her she was. All of the negative though that Weiss unknowingly validated, that Blake desperately wanted to smash through, like a mirror shattering to bits. “Well unlike some people I don’t want or need to kiss the very ground you walk on.”

Weiss took a breath, incredulously eyeing her teammate, reserved fury in her eyes. “Nobody does that, Blake.”

“Don’t they, though?” Blake said sarcastically.

“You presume that I can control the idiocy of other people, when in fact that matter is quite the opposite. I’m _just_ a name, and the acclaim it receives isn’t mine to have anyway.” Weiss shot back. “Not yet, anyway. One day it will be. Until then I’d suggest you hold your tongue.”

“Have it your way.” Blake said with a small shrug. “Anyway, you’re in over your head, and I think you know that more than you’d ever want to admit. Most things won’t actually kill you outright. Your aura will keep that from happening so long as it hasn’t been compromised. All of these things will drain your aura if you’re exposed for too long, especially if the toxins get into your body. If you have no aura you might as well be dead meat when the Grimm find you.”

* * *

Darling I don't know why I go to extremes  
Too high or too low there ain't no in-betweens  
You can be sure when I'm gone  
I won't be out there too long  
Darling I don't know why I got to extremes

* * *

It was infuriating how correct a person could be, while also being so impossibly wrong. Blake Belladonna was an enigma, and that put the matter mildly. Weiss had been hoping to burn off her annoyance at the gym along with her regimented fitness routine. Unlike some people, this was one aspect of being a huntress that she absolutely loathed. Getting sweaty upon gym equipment that was used by everyone was a disgusting prospected no mattered how much disinfectant she used.

Yet it was an evil she submitted to as she pushed her body those few more reps on the rowing machine, and pressed for the extra half-mile on the elliptical. With the towel clinging to her neck and occasionally blotting away at her face she counted the time and the calories, cooling down and stopping just as soon as her time was over, and not a second more. She cleaned off her machine, rolling her eyes as Yang, Blake, Nora, Jaune, and Ren spoke before jumping on side by side. The five of them trying to outrun each other on the treadmills across the room.

Blake was obviously besting Yang as the blond haired woman attempted to keep up with Blake’s grueling pace. Nora, on Yang’s other side was running just as fast.

“Trust those three to turn this into a competition…” Weiss muttered, when Pyrrha ended her workout and began to clean off her machine as well.

“They wanted to do a race through the Emerald Forest, but they couldn’t get it approved.” Pyrrha said, looking over to where Jaune lay prone on the ground, his own treadmill still spinning without him. The speed far too fast for the boy. Ren seemed to be doing an adequate job keeping pace, though. Even if he did seem to be exhausted. “Now they’re seeing who can run the furthest length on the ten setting.”

“Dodged a bullet on that one, did you?”

“Endurance running remains to be a core part of my training. My trainers ran me hard and fast once I became an arena champion. If I were involved, it wouldn’t even be a competition. I train on setting eleven.” Pyrrha replied. “The only other one in our grade that can do that without a semblance is Ruby.”

“She runs on eleven?!”

“Unofficially speaking…” Pyrrha said as Ren finally tapped out of the competition. He turned his machine off, lungs burning as she collapsed beside Jaune. “Normally she runs on the max speed, petals go everywhere…”

“Well, her semblance is speed, after all.” Weiss said. “What about the others? Who has the longest time out of them?”

“Fifteen miles is the record for Blake, I think, but it’s a close match between those three. Nora has more than enough restless energy to burn, and Yang’s got the power to brute force it if she has to.”

Weiss pursed her lips. “Is that so?” She replied hotly. “We’ll just see about that.”

“Weiss?” Pyrrha called after her. “Oh no…” She murmured as she rushed to join the group.

The race had just started, Weiss knew she could easily catch up. She marched over, hopping on the free machine beside Blake, starting at setting three, a light jog, easily finding her stride and glancing off to the side.

“Weiss, what are you doing?” Blake sighed through her breathing as she spared only a momentary glance to the side.

“Running you into the ground, Belladonna.” Weiss said, turning the setting to five.

“Tough words, Schnee.” Blake shot back. “What, did I bruise your little ego back at the library?”

“Hardly, I’m not that fragile, unlike you. You’d need to do far better than that to wound me.” Weiss scoffed. “What you did was nothing short of immature. If you wanted to get my attention, you’ve found it. If it’s tit-for-tat that you want, its tit-for-tat you’ll get.”

Blake rolled her eyes. “Alright, Schnee. Just don’t fall off. I won’t be held responsible for any injuries you get if you push yourself too hard.” She turned her attention to Nora and Yang. “We’ve got another challenger in the race.” Blake said, amber eyes gleaming.

“Oh hell yeah, right on Ru-” Yang choked on her sister’s name, as she released that wasn’t who joined the running. She nearly tripped, only barely catching herself and sliding back into stride. “Weiss?!”

“Do try to keep up.” Weiss said, clocking her setting to seven. A casual run for her, Winter had also trained her hard and fast. She might have hated running, but in this case she would prove exactly what she could do.

“The record to beat is fifteen point six miles.” Blake said, grabbing at her water bottle and taking a messy sip. It was all she could afford on her fast pace. “No time limit.” She said after she gulped. “Setting ten.”

“Eleven, new record.” Weiss shot back, cranking her machine to nine. A full on run now.

“Are you feakin’ crazy?” Yang asked. “Eleven and up are for semblance training only.”

“Eleven takes us to thirty miles an hour.” Blake warned.

“I’m well aware.” Weiss told her. “You forget that my combat uniform usually means wearing heels. Right now, I’m wearing sneakers, I can certainly make that speed in these.”

“We’re only on twenty-five right now, it’s a huge ass jump in speed. We’re going to need to activate our aura for that crap.” In fact there was a warning on every treadmill warning of strictly that. “If you fall on that, it’s way more than just a speed burn that you’ll get.”

“Eleven, Yang.” Weiss bit with gritted teeth. “Take it or leave it.”

“We’re going to all end up eating shit…” Yang grunted.

“Fine by me.” Blake said.

“I’m in!” Nora shouted exuberantly. “Sounds like fun to me.”

“Nora, be careful.” Ren warned her.

“Last chance, Yang…” Weiss said, as she clicked her machine up to ten in preparation for the next setting.

“You guys are nuts.” Yang said. “I know I’m going to regret this, but I’m in.”

* * *

Out of the darkness, into the light  
Leaving the scene of the crime  
Either I'm wrong or I'm perfectly right every time  
Sometimes I lie awake, night after night  
Coming apart at the seams  
Eager to please, ready to fight  
Why do I go to extremes?

* * *

“In five.” Weiss said as the others poised their hands over the dials. “Five, four, three…” Weiss counted down, sucking a breath. “Two, one.” They all slammed the dials, a buzzer sounding over head as all of their screens turned red. An equally red light flashing overhead to warn others about the high speed training going on. The speed ramped up, and they all flared their aura as the miles began to gradually tick upward.

Weiss focused her eyes on the wall ahead of her. She knew she had to be careful. They all had to be. The speed began slowly rising from twenty-five to twenty-six miles an hour. This she could do. She just needed to time her breathing and keep herself centered as she began to prepare a time dilation glyph.

Yang began to struggle, barely managing to pound her fists together as she felt her legs started to burn. She wasn’t going to last long, she could feel it. Each time her foot hit the treadmill she pounded her semblance to help maintain her speed. It’s get her an edge, but not for long, even as her hair began to glow, she knew she was in trouble.

Nora gripped the forward handrail with one hand, leaning into the speed. With the other, she grabbed a set of batteries from her pocket and competed the circuits with her fingers, setting off the charge in her hand and sucking in the charge that it gave her, pushing herself to her brink as the speed shifted up from twenty-six to twenty-seven miles an hour.

Blake hit the point of no return next, calling upon her clones in rapid succession to push her momentum forward. They dissipated almost as quickly as they appeared, smoke trailing behind her as they barely materialized before fading out. The speed ramped up to twenty eight miles, sending Yang flying back when her semblance couldn’t keep up anymore.

It was like being hit by a truck as the wind got knocked out of her, she felt herself falling and flying backward as the gauntlets on her writs glowed black. Pyrrha barely managing to catch her before she went slamming into the row of machines behind her. She skidded to a stop with a groan, steam rising off of her body as the other runners continued their break-neck pace as the redhead spectated with concern on her features.

At twenty-nine, Nora was the next to be sent flying backward. Pyrrha caught her before she could go tumbling into Yang.

“Oh, darn it! I’m losing time.” She said, as she lifted herself from the floor. “Let me back at it.”

“Nu-uh…” Yang muttered, grabbing at Nora to keep her out of the race.

“But Yang, the race!”

The speed hit thirty miles an hour, and both women were still running hard and fast.

“Dunno what Blake did to piss her off, but stay out of it.” Yang said, forcing herself into a sitting position. She could only sit there and marvel at them. “Damn, she’s hot when they’re feisty…” She said under her breath.

“Which one?” Nora asked.

“Uh…” Yang licked her lips. “Both…” She said murmuring in awe.

Back on the machines, Blake and Weiss were still pushing to the brink.

“What… are you… trying to prove?”

“I won’t… be underestimated.”

“Egotistical brat.”

“Contemptible moron.”

“Narcissist…”

“You know nothing…”

Blake was burning through her clones too fast. She was out. Unfortunately for Weiss, so was her glyph. Weiss felt her eyes widen as she went flying back.

Blake did too.

Both women losing purchase on their treadmills. Pyrrha barely managed to catch them both, fighting the weight of two teenagers as she fell and lost her grasp. Yang barely able to catch Blake before she hit the row of machines behind them. The teammates smacking into the floor bodily as their auras absorbed the impact. Weiss wasn’t so lucky. With no one there to grab her, she slapping like a ragdoll against the first elliptical machines in the line-up.

* * *

And if I stand or I fall  
It's all or nothing at all

Darling I don't know why I go to extremes  
Too high or too low there ain't no in-betweens  
And if I stand of I fall  
It's all or nothing at all  
Darling I don't why I go to extremes

* * *

Their semblances weren’t supposed to be used that way, and both of their auras had taken a heavy hit to protect their skin from the impact. Weiss and Blake just didn’t have the same wealth of aura that the others had, and needed to be carried back to the dorms as their exhaustion took over. Placed atop their bed and with the promise to return with food, Yang left them to their recovery.

“Happy now?” Blake asked as her muscles ached from the earlier catastrophe.

“No.” Weiss said as she tried not to move, least her legs cramp up again.

“You’re to blame for this.”

“You went along with it.”

“Mistakes were made.”

“Several…” Weiss said softly. “All of them regrettable…”

“What clawed its way up your butt and died, anyway?”

“Hush, I’m too tired to fight.”

“It’s not a trick question.” Blake said. “Something I did pissed you off…”

“It had better not be, or I swear I will stab you in your sleep.” Weiss threatened.

“Well, you might try…”

“Now see here Belladonna, I don’t-” Weiss squeaked as she pushed herself up, regretting the action immediately as she held her throbbing head in her hands. “I don’t…. I don’t feel so well…”

“If you’re going to vomit, hit the trash can.”

“Now you’re asking to be stabbed…”

“Not that you could it with the way you are…”

“First it was the fight in the court yard, then it was the scrubs, and now your aloofly cocky attitude has gotten on my last nerve.” Weiss bit out. “I don’t know what I could have possibly done to earn your harassment, but I’ve about had it…”

“It isn’t like you’re a prize, either…”

“I’m a grossly inept human being, utterly capable of surviving in Beacon as I am!” Weiss shouted. “Is that what you want to hear? Fine, I’ll say it again. I’m floundering, and try as I might, I am not nearly successful as I’d like to be…” Her yelling only made her head hurt worse, and she clutched it. “And now… and… now… Ruby’s not going to be happy about this, I hope you know that.”

“Since when do you care about Ruby?” Blake said with a roll of her eyes. “You don’t care about anything except your grades.”

“That isn’t true.” Weiss sighed. “That’s the furthest thing from the truth.”

“Funny way of showing it.”

“What choice do I have?”

“News flash, out there, with Grimm, grades mean nothing. They won’t save you…”

“You know nothing about me, or the life I’ve lived up until this point. You don’t even have a clue. So here’s something you should know. I refuse to go back to Atlas empty handed. I will not be a blight on my family’s good name. There is precious little left of it, and that’s tarnished by the day. All of it made worse, and by people like you, who think they know everything about me thanks to the media. Most of that is mere conjecture, nothing more…”

* * *

No I don't know why I go to extremes  
Too high or too low there ain't no in-betweens  
You can be sure when I'm gone  
I won't be out there too long  
Darling I don't know why I go to extremes

* * *

To say that Ruby was disappointed in her team would have been the understatement of the century. She spent the night over with team JNPR, refusing to come back to the dorm until the very next day. The faculty was none too pleased with them either. They were ordered to take an entire day of bed-rest, and were promised detention for their misappropriation of school equipment.

Trapped in a room with nothing more than cups of soup and notes, they were forced to get along. Ruby saw to this, going up one side of them and down the other.

“You guys can’t fight.” Ruby said, practically pulling her hair out as she paced back and forth. “We’re a team, we’re supposed to be friends, not enemies.”

“Just was just a competition.” Blake said, laying in her bed with her notes left forgotten.

“It was a fight.” Ruby told her. “A bad one.”

“A disagreement…” Weiss interjected, her own materials scattered about.

“Weiss… No, it was a fight.” Ruby shot back. “A competition is what it started as, and then you turned it into a war.” Then she turned on Blake. “And you went along with it…” then she turned on Yang. “And you didn’t stop it!” She scrubbed her face. “What’s wrong with you guys?” Ruby shook her head, not even waiting for an answer. “Everything rides on our team being a team. We’re all on the same side, and if you can’t figure that out, we’re going to be dropouts.”

“That won’t happen, Ruby.” Weiss said. “I refuse to allow that to happen.”

“She’s right.” Blake told her. “Nobody wants that.”

“You say that, but you’re not living up to it.” Ruby told them. “None of you are, and you all have prolonged detention, even you, Yang.”

“What?!” Yang bulked. “What did I do?!”

“It’s what you didn’t do.” Ruby said sadly. “You didn’t do anything, and that’s the point. I asked Professor Goodwitch to add you to the dentition list because you didn’t stop them. They could have gotten hurt way worse than this, and you let it get to that point.” The disappointment in her voice spoke volumes. It weight of it was crushing. “You’re my sister. I need you to have my back.”

“Ruby… sis… It got out of hand but-”

“No…” Ruby said shaking her head. “No, Yang… Just no… I don’t want to hear it. You want me to stand on my own two feet and not rely on you so much, okay…” Ruby took a breath. “Okay…” She repeated softly. “This is me doing what you want, even though I hate doing it. I don’t like doing this stuff, but I feel like I have to. It’s like I don’t have a choice, because you guys have taken that away with all of this junk. We could have talked all of this out, but nobody chose that. Instead, your guys just got angry and stupid…”

At this, she sighed at length. Looking around the room, remorse on all of them, but she knew that wasn’t enough. She had to be firm. She had to lead, because deep down, she knew she wasn’t blameless in any of it either. If she had kept firmer control, kept an eye on things, maybe the situation could have been different. “I am this team’s leader, and you will obey. We can do this the easy way… Or… the hard way…”

“Alright…” Yang said quietly.

“Weiss, Blake, I’ve added an extra two weeks to the dentition that Professor Goodwitch gave you. Yang, you have three, because I know if dad found out about this kind of thing at Signal, you’d have been grounded for a month. Fight with me on this, and I will continue adding on weeks…” Ruby waited, but they said nothing. She looked around the room and sighed. “Don’t do this again…”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is a very dialogue heavy chapter, with less focus on actions, and more focus on spoken word. For Weiss and Blake finding the right way to speak together would be the most difficult. I wanted to focus strictly on that, leaving most of their actions vague. I think stripping all of that away is always the hardest thing to do with anyone who has communication issues. Body language can act as a barrier, easy to misinterpret.
> 
> For these two girls, they’ve been judging things at face value, and as they learn to strip that away, all that’s left are the words spoken between them. I think that’s most important of all. I wanted to reflect that in the writing, so, how you choose to interpret the words will be left mostly up to you. If you want to take some of their turns of phrase negatively, do it. If you choose to see it as their best feet forward, you can do that too. 
> 
> either way, I hope you can put yourself inside one of them, and find the meaningful intentions that are left behind after judgement is stripped away from both of them.

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XXIII **

Two little words, but they were the hardest to say. She wanted to say them, but she had never been taught how. Apologies came with twisted and backhanded excuses. Justifications were always encouraged. Reasoning away all of the hurt, passing blame, and refusing to acknowledge any true failing. That was the way of a Schnee…

Being wrong was never an option, unless that wrongness was in the face of someone so far above her in station that being right was inconceivable. That number was so few and far between, but the control those people leveraged made it seem as if they had eyes everywhere. Being proven lesser, and taking her admonishments with a placid expression, those were things that came entwined with the life she knew. Being inadequate in any way was never acceptable.

Forgetting that, or disregarding it, was something she could never do. Perfection was everything.

Yet, here she was, sitting on Blake’s bedside. Feeling the furthest she had ever felt from perfection. Trying to find words that weren’t just excuses. Trying to find ways to speak that didn’t diminish her own pride. The concept was entirely alien to her, and in some small way she knew that she had been raised that way for a few distinct reasons. All of them revolving around just who she was, and what her father planned for her future. It was all in his plans, and what she wanted never mattered. 

She took a long sigh, lost in it all. Her emotional tool-set wasn't made for situations like this. In truth, a lot of her upbringing was now rendered incompatible with the future in front of her.

Her body was fully healed, but her aura was low. She wasn’t built to take impacts, wasn’t tall and elegant like her sister, and didn’t have the vocal power and authority of her father. She was nothing, and Blake had seen that. Cut through her guise like it was nothing. Blake had sliced into her mask in a way no one else had ever been capable of. No one had truly tried, no one wanted to.

Purely because Weiss was born and raised a Schnee…

Blake had the gull, she had all the right words, at the worst possible time.

Weiss knew that if her family found out that she had been insulted, they would have ruined Blake. Her father would have never allowed it to happen. A simple call, that’s it. That’s all it would take, and Blake would feel the Schnee family's full might against her. Weiss understood what that would mean, so she had never said a word. Never once spoke out to the man who held the true ability in his hands. She didn’t want to be like him. She didn’t want to look in the mirror and see his eyes gazing back at her. Not his smile, or his frown. She didn’t want to seem traces of him within herself. Didn’t want to let herself become his mirrored image.

A clone and carbon copy, the perfect little heiress, to all of his carefully laid plans.

The problem was, she wasn’t truly sure what she did want. She didn’t know what she could even attain. The company seemed so far away. Impossible to grasp as she was, and with no hope for the future she had always intended on. Beacon had proved that. It had shown her just how young and incredibly naive she was. As though she was just a child, taking on a world that was far too large for her to overcome.

She wanted to be more… whatever more meant… and that stung her eyes in a way she hadn’t fully come to terms with. Even as her voice gave no indication that she could do such a thing as cry. That she was capable of such a weakness.

“We can’t fight anymore.” Weiss said, back turned because she couldn’t let Blake see how she really felt. Emotions that she never truly had words for, and frustrations that she was never allowed to speak of before. “I don’t… want to fight anymore, Blake.”

“I know…”

“Do you…” No, it wasn’t even a question. She knew that answer. What she didn’t know was the real question… That’s what she needed. Weiss licked her lips. “Why do you hate me so much, Blake? What have I done to make you hate me?”

“Your family is enough reason to hate you…”

“I’m _not_ them!” Weiss said, forgetting herself. Forgetting the wall. Forgetting everything as she turned to look at her. “I’m _not_ them, Blake.”

“Okay…” Blake said quietly, taking a breath and pulling a tissue by the box on her bed, handing it to Weiss. “Okay… You’re not them…”

“I mean it.” she said, not take taking it to her eyes. She wouldn’t acknowledge the tears for what they were. Wouldn’t let herself have even that small comfort. “I’m not.”

“I heard you.”

They sat like that. Neither one budging. Neither one seeming to know how.

Blake could only see the tears, not the cause or the trigger behind it. Only the tears. She didn’t know what to do with that. Had no concept of how she could begin to understand them. Even as they slipped down those pale cheeks, redness edging into alabaster, Blake was at a loss for words. “I’m tired too.” That was the least she could say, but the most she could offer. “We won’t fight anymore.”

There wasn’t much she could do to explain why she did what she did. At least, not without truly ousting herself as the Faunus she was. She couldn't do that, either.

“Promise me…” Weiss demanded.

“I swear… No more fighting…”

Apologies unspoken, wordless but in the air. They nodded softly to each other, a vow exchanged in its place. That was fine. If they could just sit side by side like this, just exist for a second, well then that was a hard earned victory. A truce found in the gentle silence of it all.

Some apologies weren’t made with words, but instead with action. Something small, a little step. With promises of more. Intentions to make things right.

The way they should have been from the start.

There was still one glaring problem though, and as Weiss found her gaze trailing over to the bunk beds across the room, she realized that the team was more fractured than she wanted to admit, and it was mostly her fault. The blame should be shared with Blake, of course. However her own failings seemed far larger. She really hadn’t been living up to her promises to Ruby.

She hadn't been the woman of her word. She hadn't done the thing she promised to do. To be the best teammate that Ruby ever had.

What a mockery she had made of that statement. Her scroll chimed, an automated voice warning that her detention began in an hour. She would need to figure out a way to fix things a little later. Yet, being on time for detention without complaint couldn’t hurt. It was the absolute least she could do.

* * *

They suffered detention together. Cleaning the rooms that they had been assigned. Several of them were bathrooms, the most disgusting thing Weiss could think of to clean, even if she did it without complaint. It wasn’t worth it. A few weeks, and she would never have to touch another toilet with a scrub brush ever again. She never thought she’d be more thankful for rubber gloves, and a janitor's uniform in her life.

“How many of these do we have to do?” Weiss asked, knowing that Blake had the itinerary.

“All five of the ladies rooms in the main building, the mission hall, and the converted chapel. That’s just today.”

“Where’s the cleaner?”

“It’s already in the bucket. It just needs water. I’m going to get the mops.”

“I’ll fill it then.”

“No, let me do it. It’s heavy when it’s full.”

“You’ve done this before?”

“I have to. It’s part of my scholarship.”

“Oh…”

“It’s not so bad, really. The school stays pretty clean since every student on detention detail become part of the janitorial staff, and everything needs to pass inspection.”

“Be that as it may, it will still be disgusting.” Weiss formed a small glyph under the bucket, dragging it to the sink. “We have too many rooms to clean. We should work smarter, not harder.”

“You know, that might be against the rules…” Blake said to her. “This is supposed to be a punishment…”

“It was never stated explicitly that we couldn’t use semblances.” Weiss told her. “I would think Professor Goodwitch wouldn’t leave out that little detail.”

Blake just smirked. “Have it your way then.”

Her way…

If it was meant to be snide or not, Weiss wasn't sure. A small part of her didn't even care. It was a novel concept either way.

A path that was unlike her family, unlike her father. That was it. What she really wanted out of all of this. It was all she wanted. To just have something she could truly be proud of. Accomplishments that were hers to have, without the weight of expectation weighing her down. “I think I will…”

* * *

“You must really enjoy fish…”

Blake offered only a sideways glance at the small observation. It was just something made from fact, but she couldn’t help but idly check that her bow was firmly in place anyway. It hadn’t budged, and that small hint of comfort was the only thing that kept her calm. After all, her joy of fish might just as well be evidence about who and what she really was.

“Yep.” She said as casually as she could.

“Well, it’s healthy enough, I suppose.” Weiss offered, looking for anything positive to say about the canned tuna that she thought to be an abomination. Her high class taste just couldn’t comprehend why anyone might enjoy it, especially when there were other options available.

“I guess, but I think it’s just good.” Blake said with a mild shrug. “You’re a health nut…”

“At least my breath doesn’t smell like tuna…”

“As if onions are any better…” Blake trailed off, feeling the same about the chicken salad that Weiss saw fit to eat more often than not.

“Which is why I carry breath mints, which you could stand to do a little more often.”

“So, sue me…”

“You’d never win a lawsuit against me.”

“Probably not, but that would be the stupidest lawsuit in the world.”

“Yes, it most certainly would be.”

"I'd win by virtue of how dumb it would be. The press would laugh at you."

"They laugh at anything they can..." Weiss said, her own fork full of food making its way into her mouth at that.

Blake leaned back, taking a bite of the sandwich, chewing idly as she looked around the next room they were cleaning. A large assembly hall with tall ceilings and overhead monitors that needed to be taken care of. It was so big that anything more than soft words echoed into the expanse. Murals on the walls, painted god knew when, could be stared at four hours. Even if someone did, they’d still be compelled to look upon what was basically long forgotten scripture.

It used to be a church…

Faith died slowly over the countless eons that went unaccounted for. The concept of godly beings fell to ash against the cruel realities. The thought that any such being could exist, or even several of them at once, was so crippling that it killed any and all hope for a day without suffering. If all of thing things worthy of goodness came from the hands of a simply capricious being, then that being was worse than any sinner, and beyond the measure of any devil.

Gods, goddesses, angles, demons, maidens, Grimm…

There so many stories. So many reasons written down in book that Blake doubted anyone knew the truth anymore. Blake bet that some people had put aside their faith simply because belief was a terrible thing. If gods were real, that was far more painful truth than reality itself simply being cruel. If there truly was such a being, such a thing as a god, she would spit in his face the moment she saw him. For everything he did, and everything he allowed to happen.

That same sort of resentment wasn’t so far away from what she felt about the Schnee family.

Knowing they held the lives of many in their hands, and that they didn’t care. That the people they employed often didn’t have better choices in the matter. That Faunus were used and abused, treated as though they meant nothing. That they were worthless, and deserved to suffer and die at the hands of their betters. Weiss might as well have been one of those creatures on the mural.

Blake’s hatred of the Schnee family was the selfsame as the reason why she refused to believe in a higher power in the first place. If something was capable of allowing such terrible suffering, it didn’t deserve respect or worship. Just as the Schnee family didn’t deserve to be highly regarded, or well-respected. Weiss’s dad sat atop all of it, and he didn’t care.

God or human, it didn’t matter. They were interchangeable. With the right power, both were monsters.

Maybe it was because they were stuck together, maybe that was why a room so large seemed imposing now. Someone, who might as well have been a goddess, sitting at her side. Weiss had more power in a single word than the countless Faunus that had cried out in the night… praying just once… to heard. Yet, Weiss knew she wasn’t infallible, understood that she was only a human. She was more self-aware than any god of scripture.

And as much as that made sense logically, Blake still felt as though she was sitting beside a goddess that chose to watch the ails of the world, doing nothing, acting only as a spectator. As though the countless lives lost every year in the dust mines were strictly for her own amusement. As false as it probably was, it was difficult to find faith in Weiss. Blake felt that it was impossible to believe in her words. Just as countless people abandoned the words of the gods, Blake felt compelled to do the same with the words of a Schnee.

Yet, here they sat, anyway…

Together…

“Dusting the cobwebs off that ceiling isn’t going to be easy…” Blake noted thoughtfully.

“It’ll likely take all night.” Weiss agreed.

“Probably…”

“Where is Yang with those ladders?”

“Who knows…”

“Is she a good partner to you?”

“More than I thought she would be…” Blake said with a soft shrug. “What about Ruby?”

“Ruby is…” So many things, that Weiss didn’t have a fitting description. “She’s earnest beyond compare. I’m not used to it. My upbringing never allowed me to deal with such a person before.”

“But, that’s a good thing, right?”

“It’s…” Weiss hesitated. “It’s new to me. All of this is.”

“Yeah…” Blake agreed. “Me too.”

“Do you think it’s a good thing?” Weiss asked after a long moment of silence passed.

“I don’t know…” Blake said trailing off. “But, I think I want it to be. They’re good people. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around good people, and I’ve been treating them like garbage…”

“We both have…”

“I don’t want to do that anymore…”

“Indeed, we need to think of some way to rectify this situation.”

“Yeah, I just don’t know how…”

“Ruby has quite a sweet tooth, we could bake something.”

“I don’t know how to bake anything. I can barely cook anything that isn’t over an open flame.”

“How hard could it be?” Weiss posed.

“Honestly?" The Faunus couldn't even begin to guess. "I’ve never done it, so I don’t know.”

* * *

Detention aside, they still had school work to do. A history assignment couldn’t slow them down. Professor Oobleck wasn’t a particularly harsh teacher, but his lessons were enough to perplex any student that didn’t pay attention to him. Even one missed day was enough to get behind in class, and Weiss found herself lamenting that she had taken a day off to recuperate in the first place. Ruby and Yang had made sizeable dents in their essays the day before, leaving Weiss and Blake to try and catch up.

One table over, Yang was busy trying to salvage Ruby’s dust theory project. With Pyrrha’s help and Jaune’s poor attempts to follow along, they seemed to be making headway working out the complex formula. They had only called Weiss over once to ask about a mix-up in measurements, but otherwise seemed to be doing fine on their own. Their effort was notable, although that alone never promised a good grade. At least she could say Ruby was trying her best.

Weiss went back to her own project. If only she could say the same about her history paper. She didn’t know much about the war between Faunus and humans. Her tutors had never covered the history on a world wide scale, leaving massive gaps in her education. She looked up from her paper. Blake was several pages in, and she sighed to herself. She was sitting next to the team’s history expert.

It was idiotic not to ask for help. To not do her own best effort, even if that meant admitting how uneducated she really was.

“Blake?”

“Hmm?”

“You said something before about the war between Faunus and humans. I don’t quite recall now, but you said that Faunus used something to poison the human forces…”

“Oh, right, you mean the mad honey?”

“Yes, I believe it was something along those lines.” Weiss quickly agreed. “What is that, exactly?”

“Basically, it’s a sweet tasting honey made from poisonous sap.” Blake said looking up from her history paper. “What about it?”

“You said it was used in the war…” Weiss said, trying to recall correctly. “How was it used?”

“The war between Faunus and humans was kind of strange. There were humans that worked with the Faunus few and far between. They were fundamental in distributing the mad honey to the enemy troops. They would send in the supplies, and no one suspected anything. At that point, the humans were cocky, and didn’t expect their supplies to be tampered with. It was a major victory. After that, any human discovered to be a Faunus sympathizer were sent away to imprisonment camps where they were held and killed for being traitors.”

“Were there any survivors from the camps?”

“Thousands.” Blake said, toying with her pencil thoughtfully. “A lot were killed, but a lot more managed to survive. Atlas was the most willing to take the lives of traitors, but, other kingdoms were less inclined. Some kingdoms only did it for grave offenses, like joining the Faunus troops. Actually, Vale’s camps are the ones that are the most interesting. They were the outliers.”

“How so?”

“Those imprisoned in Vale weren’t harmed at all. They were imprisoned, but never killed. Not even the worst offenders.” Blake said with a soft smile before it fell again. Amber eyes narrowing in thought. “Actually, it was safer in the Vale camps than it was outside of them. At least, that’s the story…”

“You aren’t completely sure of this?” Weiss asked, a hint of surprise on her features.

Blake shook her head. “No one knows for sure….”

“What do they know?” Weiss asked. “What is without a doubt, factual?”

“Well for instance, we know that Vale was the last kingdom to make camps. At that point fighting had reached all of the kingdoms in a full blown civil war. Even humans who weren’t sympathizers claimed to be. That way, they were taken away from the cities, and kept under lockdown. Dust bombs had just started going off within the heart of the cities. The fallout would have killed anyone without a mask, and we still don’t know the numbers on that, either. We can only guess.”

“That’s the reason that atlesian dust bombs are regulated so heavily now. We mass produced them during the war.” Weiss agreed slowly. “Now, that’s completely illegal. If they’re built beyond a certain size, they break the treaties across the kingdoms. Only a small number can be in production and kept in storage at any given time. Strictly for the use of combat against Grimm.”

“That’s now, but it wasn’t the same back then. During the war, the bombs weren’t regulated at all.” Blake said to her. “It wasn’t safe to stay inside the kingdoms.”

Eyes looking down at her paper, Weiss frowned heavily as that implication. “So… I suppose without a better option… many of them did run away from the kingdoms. I never stopped to think about that before.”

“It’s not talked about…”

“Why not? It sounds like a rather important detail of the war. It should be studied and remembered.”

“Someone set fire to the original documents...”

“What…?”

“That’s the official story.”

Weiss could only bulk at that idea. “What moron would do such a thing?”

“The only thing we have to go on is the survivors of the war, and their journals. We know for a fact that Vale had camps. We just don’t have a way to prove that no lives were taken. Ever other kingdom still has their original documents, but Vale doesn’t, and nobody knows why. The journals write a lot about how merciful it was inside one of the camps, even as red dust is blowing up around them. Sadly, that’s all history has left…”

“But, unless I’m incorrect, Vale was the first one to call for a ceasefire.”

“They were, Weiss. That’s the entire problem. Some historians point to that as evidence when they’re trying to validate the claims in the journals.”

“You don’t believe the same?”

“Well… I don’t know. I just don’t think that’s evidence of anything. The losses on both sides of the war were staggering. When Vale called for a cease fire, word got to Mistral, and they followed soon after. Vacuo eventually capitulated, and talks between humans and Faunus began. At that point, Atlas was forced to stand down by the other kingdoms. They didn’t want to stop the war, but they had no choice. They were the last to join the talks, and the last to honor the treaties between kingdoms.”

“Well, that’s certainly not how they teach it Atlas…”

“I’m sure they teach it differently everywhere.” Blake replied softly, shrugging. “I’ve got several books on the whole thing. I’ll lend them to you...”

* * *

They owed Ruby an apology. That they knew. Words didn’t seem like enough for her, either.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Weiss.” Blake said, bending down to look through the window of the oven. “They don’t look so good…”

“Considering that your cookies are as hard as hockey pucks, I doubt you have room to talk.”

“Yeah, well, I still say you put in way too much baking soda. You only need a little bit.”

“For the last time, I wanted my cookies to be decadent.”

“Soo, burned cookies wasn’t the goal…”

“Excuse you?!”

“Weiss, they’re literally burning….”

“Don’t just stand there, pull them out!” Weiss complained, running to the oven to remove her cookie tray. They were too far gone, and no amount of fawning over them would salvage them. Weiss could only scowl at the remains of her attempt. Lackluster, and certainly not something she could offer. She dumped them into the trash can, along with Blake’s cookies. “Damn it.” She murmured, as the hot pan crashed into the sink of soapy water.

“Well, so much for that…” Blake muttered.

“It was a stupid idea, anyway. I told you we should have simply purchased them…”

“We can’t just buy her off.”

“I don’t see why not. A cookie is a cookie.”

“This isn’t something we should fix with money.”

“We can’t fix it like this at all…”

“But wouldn’t cookies made by hand taste so much sweeter?”

“Hey, what’s going on in here?” Ruby asked, sticking her head in from the hallway. “It smells like something might be burning.”

“It nothing to be concerned about…” Weiss scoffed, waving her hand in hopes to shoo the girl away.

“Right…” Ruby said slowly. It certainly looked like something. “Is that cholate chips?”

“There’s no use hiding it.” Blake grumbled, lifting the trash can and setting it down on the other side of the counter. “We were trying our hand at baking, basically we’re not good at it.”

“You were baking…” Ruby said, looking down into the trash, as if that was the last possible idea in her mind. “Together…?”

“Yes, Ruby.” Weiss sighed. “Together.”

Ruby looked down at the trash can and found herself unable to contain her giggle. “You didn’t follow the instructions on the package, did you?”

“We made them from scratch.” Blake said. “There were no instructions.”

“Yeah there are, you just need to look for them.” Ruby said, picking up the half full bag of chips on the counter. “See? It’s on the side of the package…”

“You have _got_ to be kidding me.” Weiss complained.

“Nope, I’m not. They’re always on the back of the package, or at least on the website.” Ruby said, shrugging softly, thinking that everyone knew that. Especially someone trying to bake anything with the most popular brand of cholate chips in Vale. “Why were you guys making sweets anyway? You don’t even like them…”

“Because!” Weiss bit out before all of her frustrations melded together with her no small amount of shame. “Because… We allowed things to get out of hand. You were right about that.”

“We wanted to make things up to you.” Blake said, without caring for delicacy. “We were acting like idiots….”

“As it turns out, we’re just not very good at baking.” Weiss continued. There was no good way to do this. She might as well just say it, even as it damaged her already crippled pride. “In any case, Ruby, we're sorry about what happened. This was supposed to be atonement for that, but... As you can see, not even that had gone to plan.”

"We are sorry, though." Blake added. "Cookies aside, we wanted the apology to mean something..."

"But it does." Ruby told them. "Don't you get it, you guys are trying to work together? That's way better than cookies right now." She said, looking around to the mess in the kitchen. "It's all I wanted from you in the first place, I just want us to work together."

"We will do better in the future." Weiss told her. "I swear to you, I will do better."

"Yeah, me too." Blake said earnestly.

"Okay then, apology accepted." Ruby said, her acceptance was as simple as that.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter after this to tie up this arc. It'll be out before the end of the month.

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XXIV **

Ruby had asked her not to freeze Jaune to any more floors if she could help it. Weiss begrudgingly agreed, if only because Ruby was the one who had asked. She had a lot to make up for, and it was a small concession for so many other unkind things she had done.

Unfortunately that didn’t stop the boy from being persistent. If anything, her lack of volatile reaction seemed to give him the impression that he was weakening her defenses. He was asking her out for dates daily. Reaching far and wide to find something she might enjoy. It would have been admirable, if he didn’t seem so impossibly desperate to earn her attention. It was annoying, but, it was also much less infuriating than some of the young men her father had asked her to deal with in the past.

It was an odd thing, really.

At least Jaune didn’t seem to have any ulterior motive. He never asked for dates outside of his means, indicating that he wasn’t after her money. If he wanted that, there were plenty of other girls attending Beacon. Several of them with much more wealth than the boy could hope for, one such woman was even on his team for god’s sake. It wasn’t fame that he seemed to be after, either. If it was simply that, he would have searched elsewhere from the start. Any of the leading arena champions attending Beacon would have far more use to him than she would have. Pyrrha was famous because of who she was, not because her family name held her aloft. She was self-made wealth and popularity all rolled into one.

Weiss couldn’t understand why Jaune wouldn’t give the matter up. Unless, of course, he was truly interested in the woman behind the name. That wasn’t at all possible, though. Even if it was, that didn’t change the fact that she wasn’t at all interested in him.

As he cleaned his weapon after it had been tampered with for the umpteenth time, he also saw fit to use the opportunity to ask Weiss on a date once again. She hated it. She took to the meticulous activity of using dust solvent to lean her own blade. She focused strictly on that, pointedly telling him that she wasn’t interested, not even bothering to look at him.

Though she didn't look it, her attention was firmly on Yang. The blonde tried to fix a dented screw that had gotten itself jammed in her gauntlets, making it impossible for the weapon to collapse into itself as it should. Caring for their weaponry routinely like this was mandatory for effective combat, but Yang kept muttering curses as she tried to pry out with brute force when her usual methods did nothing to budge it.

“Give it here…” Weiss sighed.

“I can’t take it off.” Yang complied. “The stupid thing is pushing against the locking mechanism in my wrist.”

“Give me your wrist, then.” Weiss said, inspecting the damaged screw. Seeing that it had managed to dislodge between the two pieces of dust forged mental it should have been connecting. “What was this forged with?”

“Red dust, a fire compound…”

Weiss rolled her eyes. That was obvious. “What was the other binding agents that you used?”

“Uh, just the fire compound…”

Weiss blinked, looking down at the weapon. “You didn’t use any other dust to forge your weapon?”

“No, not really.” Yang said, using her free hand to fluff at her hair absentmindedly. “I think the alloy might have had something in it, but I didn’t use any complex dust compounds to make Ember Celica.”

“That could be part of your problem.” Weis said slowly, toying with the tiny screw. “You probably overheated the screw with your semblance when you were fighting, and that’s how it got bent.”

“That can happen?”

“If you can make the area hot enough to melt it. This screw is right next to the barrels of the gauntlets, when the bullets discharge, you’ll make the adequate heat since you use fire dust compounds in your rounds.”

“Well… crap…” Yang grumbled. “Is there a way to fix it?”

“Red dust isn’t exactly good for dealing with high impact weaponry like yours. Ideally, you’d use yellow dust to strengthen any mechanism that might be at risk, and blue dust to act as a coolant.” Weiss said as she reached for her tool box, selecting a small empty bottle and placed a special compound of dust inside. Then she put in a bit of solvent. “I can get the screw out, but you will need to replace all of your screws, nuts, and bolts with ice forged metals to keep them from melting in the future. Stay still, you don’t want this hitting your wrist…”

It wasn’t a short process as she very carefully shattered the screw bit by tiny bit, cleaning away any drops of liquid that might fall before it could happen. Several long moments passed as Yang rested her arm on the small supplies table between them as Weiss continued to work.

“How long is this going to take?”

“Awhile, unless you want me to be sloppy about it.”

“I thought so… This won’t hurt the gauntlet, will it?”

“Not if you used the required finishing compounds in the initial production.” Weiss told her. “Though, you could get third degree burns from this solvent, this is an ice and lightning compound."

It wasn’t the first time that Yang had watched Weiss act with clinical precision, but it was the first time that she was so close to it. Watching every tiny movement and every graceful brush of her fingertips against the swabs that Weiss used to cleans away the residue. Those blue eyes narrowed in stern concentration. Her fingers were impossibly soft, lacking any callouses that one might get when fighting. Even Ruby had several, which was a testament to the way Weiss cared for herself after combat. Her nails were flawless, same as so much of the rest of her.

Even the scar across her face, up close like this, seemed to have been put there intentionally. A mark of beauty, rather than ugliness.

Lilac eyes drifted away violently when Yang noticed she was looking at Weiss a little too intently. The girl didn’t seem to notice, thankfully. She was too focused on her task. When the final bit of the screw fell away, Yang felt the firm clicking of her gauntlets as they fell back onto alignment. The uncomfortable pressure on the side of her wrist was gone, and that was a relief too.

“There…” Weiss said, as she began cleaning away the mess.

“Thanks.” Yang said with a grin as she gave her wrist a much needed flexing to take away the soreness.

“Don’t thank me, just reinforce everything so that it stays cool next time. I’d rather not do that again, if it can be avoided.” She said, dumping the used materials in their waste receptacles nearby and returned to her own weapon. “I still say covering all of the surfaces in a layer of yellow dust wouldn’t hurt either. It would certainly allow you to punch with more force without denting anything else in the future.”

“Yeah, I just might do that.” Yang said. “I’m out right now though. I don’t use it very much.”

Weiss just rolled her eyes, plucking a yellow dust vial from her supplies. “I have ample more back in the room, but I’ll expect you to play be back for it.”

“Sure… but how?” Yang asked her then. “I don’t have a whole lot of cash on me, and yellow dust mixes are way more expensive than any of the reds…”

“I’m sure I can come up with something…” Weiss said, waving her off. Having yang in debt to her for a favor was far more valuable than what amounted to pocket change anyway. “Once I do, I’ll let you know.”

* * *

After some thought, she knew exactly how Yang could repay her for the dust. As it turned out, there was something of value she needed from Yang. The idea came to her while looking in the mirror one morning, plucking a wayward eyelash that was annoying her. She got a good look at herself, and just how frail looking she was compared to the other students. She was built differently from most of the people training to be hunters and huntresses.

Either she had inherited her father’s end of the gene pool, or she was an incredibly late bloomer.

Vanity aside, her figure was perfect for the stage. It was less ideal when the demands of a huntress took Its toll. If she were in Atlas her dietitian would have made the requisite changes for her diet, and her personal trainer would have address any pressing concerns that Weiss had. Those details, coupled with her personal doctor to run blood tests and prescribing any further supplements she might have needed, would have made training in so Atlas much easier.

Calls could be made, she supposed. Yet, that was hardly the best way to achieve results. Besides, she wasn’t the one that signed any of the checks on the payroll. That meant her father would eventually catch wind of it, and that wasn’t desirable in the slightest.

All in all, she was rather lacking when she took the time to think about it. She had a full cardio routine, and she did an occasional yoga day on the side. That was not enough. She was not a powerhouse like some of her peers. In fact, she was a far cry from that image in almost every way. She could do with learning how to build just a little muscle and tone her already flat tummy into something resembling abs. She doubted she would ever be rid of her noodle arms. Yet, as she pinched the weak mass there, she could hope for more, couldn’t she?

Yang would make an adequate physical trainer. One that wouldn’t require a monetary trail that could be followed. She could be further paid in dust, and other such items that Weiss had open and liberal access too at all times. Weiss just wasn’t sure if the blonde woman would be willing to go through with it.

She looked for Yang in the main gym, but she wasn’t anywhere to be found. Instead, the blonde was in the locked training room, sectioned off for privileged students. Only those with the right scholarships could get in, ensuring that even when the other gym was full, they’d still have a place to clock their hours.

Weiss had to knock before Yang let her in. It was then that she began to make her seemingly odd request.

“A weight training routine?” Yang asked as she sat sideways on a bench, affixing weights to the machine. “You really sure that’s what you want?”

“As a way to pay me back for the dust, a think it’s an adequate exchange.” Weiss told her. "You would continued to be paid in dust, of course."

“Beacon has physical trainers for that sort of thing, though.” Yang said uneasily. “Wouldn’t you want to ask one of them to train you? The open classes are complimentary.”

“All of them are very qualified, however, I was thinking something more privatized and exclusive to my personal needs.” Weiss told her, having carefully looked into the matter. “However, given my current detention schedule and my class workload, obtaining one at this very moment isn’t an option. I have it on good authority that you’ve been tasked to help the training at Signal.”

“Yeah, but those are beginner routines…” Yang told her. “Baby stuff, like proper form and all that jazz. The classes I’m helping are just kids entering into the combat program. They’re not building any serious muscle yet. It’s not healthy for them to try. It’s all just basic fitness, healthy diets, and how to go through the motions and not hurt themselves.”

Weiss could only sigh at that. “And what part of my body tells you that I wouldn’t be a complete beginner?”

At this, Yang blinked, holding her “You don’t lift at all?”

“I do yoga every now and then, but I do not weightlift. I would think given the state of my form, that would be a given.” Weiss told her. “I’m fit, but I’m not very strong.”

“Yeah, but you’re not a pushover either…” Yang said, knowing that to be true.

“Yet, still a weakling by comparison to anyone on our team.” Of course she was fighting fit, but she had none of the core strength that the rest of her team had. With her glyphs, she had never needed to worry about weight training, at least, not before Beacon. Now, looking in the mirror, she felt more than a little uncomfortable at the fact she didn’t have any definition in her body. She was slender and petite, but a little something more wouldn’t hurt. “I’m not looking to bulk up, I’m merely in search of something to help fortify myself a little.”

“If it’s what you want, sure, but you’re going to have to change clothes.” Yang said, pointing to the Beacon issued track suit. “You’ll have to wear the tank top and shorts like I do…”

That seemed a bit intimidating. She didn’t particularly want to be on display quite that much in the gym. “That’s required?”

“Well, I mean it’s not make or break, or anything like that…” Yang said with a shrug. “But it’ll be easier to watch how your muscles move when you don’t have that baggy wind breaker covering them. Plus, less clothes make it easier to move in. It’s not like its cold in here.”

“That’s true, but I don’t think I’d want the attention wearing such a thing might attract…” There were several men in the room after all, and it didn’t sit well with her. The only other woman in the room was Pyrrha, who had managed to gather a small group around her.

“It’s after nine pm, this gym is clear of casuals. No one’s going to be looking, Weiss.”

“I’m not so sure about that… Pyrrha’s gained quite the bit of attention.”

“They’re spotting her, she’s asked them to watch.” Yang said with a shrug. “She’s about to start deadlifting way more than she usually does, so they’re talking about how to handle it. It’s a safety thing. If she loses control of the weights, they’ll be there to help.”

“Looks like they’re drooling over her.” Weiss said under her breath.

“Well, we get fired up when we try to bust a record. She’s pumped about it too, trust me.” Yang said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder to a few of the guys working out behind her. “Those guys are all on combat and fighting scholarships. We’re serious about our workouts. No one’s going to be ogling the newbie, it’s kind of an asshole move to watch without an invite. It’s intimidating for anyone, not just you. This is our world, and only people that are serious about their routines are going to be here.”

“If you’re sure…”

“They’re good people, Weiss. Tell you what, why not just hang out with us tonight while I go through my routine and see for yourself.” Yang told her with a nod. “If you’re still interested after that, we can talk to Goodwitch about getting you access, and that way you can just come with me in here while you’re learning.”

"If you insist." Weiss said awkwardly.

Even while watching, Weiss liked to think she learned a lot. Yang explained what she was doing it, and why she was doing it that way. It didn’t sound patronizing either, a small fact that Weiss truly appreciated as she committed Yang’s forms to memory as well as she could. All in all, it was a fitting evening. She would continue with her plans.

In short order Goodwitch approved the admission into the private gym on a temporary basis. Weiss had a month of access changed on her admissions keycard. She would need to be approved on a monthly basis if she wanted to continue working out in the private gym. If there was any complaint, issued by anyone at all, Weiss would have the access taken away. For her, it was an absolute privilege, not a right granted by scholarship.

She began her routine eagerly. Twice a week to start. When Weiss had inquired about the time table, Yang simply said that Weiss would be thanking her for it later. Whatever that might mean was lost to her as she went along with it. Yang had to know what she was doing. Weiss started off with a simple routine, focusing on her upper body, but it left her feeling sore the next day regardless.

When her alarm went off, it was all she could do to slam the snooze button unhappily. What she hadn't noticed was that the rest of her team was already up. She had slapped at the button more than once already.

“Uh… What’d you do to her?” Ruby said as she poked at her partner, the shorter woman merely groaning into the pillow in response.

“Arm day is a total bitch.” Yang said with a soft chuckle. “Come on Weiss, we’ve got class. You need to get up.”

“I’m dying.”

“No, you just feel like you are.” Yang told her.

“Why did I let you talk me into doing that final set?” Weiss complained, wincing as her arms felt like wet noodles.

“That’s what happens when you use muscle groups that you’ve been ignoring. You would have been sore either way.” Yang said with no small amusement as Weiss refused to move out of bed. “It gets easier, you won’t feel like that in a few weeks.”

“Weeks?” Her voice sounded so small behind the pillow. As though she was hallucinating, or at the very least misheard.

“Yep, weeks… It takes that long to build a good routine and stick to it.”

“I won’t survive weeks.”

“Not without food, princess.” Yang said, half dragging Weiss out of bed. “Up ya go. We need to eat and get to class.”

“I’m starting to think you’re a slave driver…”

“Nope, that’s Pyrrha.” Yang said. “Now come on, get dressed, it’s chow time.”

* * *

Jaune asked her out again, and Weiss declined once more. Thankfully, Yang seemed to have an idea.

“Hey, Jaune you want to do me a huge favor?” Yang asked him.

“I think that depends on what it is.” He said slowly. “It’ not anything that’ll get me into trouble, will it?”

“No, nothing like that, just a small thing, really.”

“Okay, hit me.” He said, shrugging.

“It was bad enough the teachers slammed us with detention, but Ruby tacked on more of it…” She began casually as ever. “The thing is, when she did that, I don’t think she really thought of what it would end up meaning for her.”

“I don’t follow…” Jaune said idly.

“She’s on her own way more than she would have been if she had just let this slide.” Yang sighed.

“Well, you did kind of deserve it.” Jaune murmured under his breath.

“I know we did, but she doesn’t really deserve to punish herself just because we had our heads up our asses.” Yang told him. “Look, just hang out with her a little more, okay? Maybe include her in your team stuff, if you can? I know it’s asking way too much to do it all the time, but now almost none of our timetables line up with hers. It won’t for a few weeks, so if you could kind of fill the void a little it would be a huge help.”

“Yang, she’s my friend.” Jaune told her. It was his honest opinion, and he liked to think himself a good judge of character. “I’m always going to have her back when I can… She was the first person to be nice to me when I came here, and that meant a lot more to me than she knows.”

“It goes both ways, Jaune.” Yang shrugged. She appreciates it too. She’s just took awkward to really say it, but that kind of thing means the world to her.”

“Where is she right now?” Jaune wondered.

“Let me check.” She said, reaching for her scroll and searching through it. “She’s in remedial classes right now, but she’ll get out in about an hour or so.”

“I’ll see if I can catch her after that, then.” He said backpedaling a little. “I’ve got to go tell the others we’re having a game night.”

“Thanks Jaune.” Yang said, waving him off as Weiss merely gawked bedside her.

“You know, I didn’t think you’d actually pawn him off on Ruby.” The shorter woman said as they continued towards the locker room in the gym.

“Pawn nothing, they’re actually friends, Weiss.” Yang huffed. “Besides, I meant what I said about Ruby ending up alone way more than usual. Just because she’s used to it, doesn’t mean she actually likes it…”

“Even so, Yang...”

“Jaune’s a good guy.”

As they dressed in their swimsuits, her observation sadly devolved into a discussion that Weiss truly didn’t want to entertain. Yang seemed to grow curious, more so than the heiress liked. As they soaked in one of the hot tubs at the communal gym, there was no avoiding it. This was also part of the fitness routine that Yang insisted on during ‘off’ days to help keep Weiss from continually being sore.

At first, Weiss had been very eager to entertain the idea. Now, she wasn’t so sure. The blond had decided to play matchmaker, and that was the last thing Weiss wanted.

“I just don’t get why you’re so against him, that’s all. You know, you might actually have a good time with Jaune.” Yang went on to say, almost as if pleading Jaune's case for him. “I’d be willing to bet that if you say yes to him just once, he’d probably make it worth your time…”

“Somehow, I highly doubt that.” Weiss said, refusing to even consider it. “He isn’t even my type.”

“Well, okay, I can get that.” Yang agreed softly. “So then, what is your type?”

Nothing that Weiss wanted to explicitly say outright. “That’s complicated.” She said instead, hoping that alone would be enough. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be, and she could tell that the moment that Yang’s lip quirked. Weiss knew she needed to cut the reply off before Yang got a chance to pry more deeply. “There are very high standards for anyone I might date, trust me.”

“Uh…” Yang faltered. “How, exactly is having a type of person that attracts you complicated?”

“It just is.” Weiss replied as she stretched out a bit in the hot water. “I don’t think you realize just how important it is for me to find the perfect person.”

“No one’s perfect, so you’re screwed from the start.”

“Perfect for me, I mean.”

“I still don’t think there’s anyone like that out there.” Yang told her. “Not for anybody. I mean, someone might come close, I guess… maybe…” It was a conclusion she came to slowly. More than enough boyfriends and girlfriends had proven it. She doubted there was a perfect match for anyone, and trying to find that would only ever be a letdown. Perfection was overrated, anyway. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you show an interest in anyone, though.”

“That’s because attractiveness is hard to come by.” Weiss said to her pointedly, scowling slightly. How best to explain? She wasn’t quite sure. It wasn’t just looks, although that was a bonus. “It isn’t as if I’ve made some sort of list. I just assumed I’d know when I see it.”

“Well, make a list then.” Yang shrugged. “Who is your perfect person? What would they be like?”

“You won’t just let this go, will you?”

“Call me curious.”

“That’s the least I could call you for asking these questions.” Weiss said with a minor bite between her words. “If someone were to attract my interest they would need to be confident…”

“Jaune’s that…” Yang said, earning a withering look. “Uh... Do you realize how hard it is for guys to ask a girl like you out?”

“I’m well aware. For many, I don’t find it to be confidence. I often get the feeling that when I am asked, it’s just false bravado.” Weiss said then. “Beyond that, Jaune isn’t very competent. That is the second requirement I have.”

“So, confident, competent…” Yang trailed off. “What else do you look for?”

“I don’t look, Yang.” Weiss told her. “That’s where you misunderstand the situation. I am told who to date, and if I like them it may progress from there. However, my father would need to approve. As a general rule, I don’t like the people my father chooses for me.”

“Telling your kid who to date seems like a mistake waiting to happen. Sounds like your dad is an asshole.”

Weiss blinked, looking over to Yang with surprise on her face. No one ever called her father that so flippantly. With so little regard to the fact that if he knew about it, there would be hell to pay. “You did not just say that…”

“What, am I wrong?” Yang asked honestly.

That was a question that Weiss absolutely refused to answer…


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter in this arc, hence the length. Tying up a few loose ends that won’t extend into next arc, while prepping for the ongoing storyline. Hopefully you enjoy it. 
> 
> There will be a bit of a break before the next arc kicks in. I want to take the time to clean up these 25 chapters a bit, and catch a few more spelling errors that I missed the first several times. It won't take too long because I'm not going to send a crap ton of time on it. I just want to do a little sprucing...
> 
> That's not to say you won't be getting anything, though. There are special intermission chapters that will be going up, but more on that when you get your first one sometime in April. See you then!

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 1: What If?   
Chapter XXV **

Weiss had established two things as she began to let down her guard a little. The first was that Ruby, her team leader, was not to be underestimated. The second was that her teammates were quite capable people by nature.

Yang was more studious than Weiss had originally given her credit for. She had a true empathy for others, and her bubbly attitude was only on the surface. Beneath that lay a wealth of burden that Yang refused to linger on for too long. Her ambition to be a huntress wasn’t quite clear, but, she did everything the school faculty wanted of her. To be honest, that was far more that Weiss had ever thought to expect of her.

Blake had a firm grasp of social and political issues across the kingdoms. As Yang’s combat partner, she was as versatile in combat as she was in the art of conversation. It was true that Blake had some morally grey values, but she was fast to articulate them to anyone who asked. It was clear that her desire to be a huntress stemmed from all of the inequity in the world, and the desire to contort the world into a better place.

Last, but certainly not least, Ruby was impossibly motivated and driven to succeed. Being a huntress was her dream, almost a privilege. She struggled hard for passing grade. It couldn’t have been easy to bridge the two year educational leap between combat academy and huntsmen’s institution. Ruby chose to persevere regardless of that.

In the face of such remarkable teammates, Weiss couldn’t help but feel a twinge of inadequacy.

Each of them had attributes that would serve them well as future huntresses. All of them were willing to make the team dynamic a complete success. She was the outsider, the one least willing to follow Ruby’s lead. She was the one holding the entire team back in battle drills and class rankings. Her status meant nothing here within the walls of Beacon Academy. Her endeavors would not be made easier, or more complicated, strictly due to her family name.

This brought the heiress to one simple concussion. If she hoped to graduate with high marks at the end of four long years, she needed to become reliant on her teammates. She needed to trust them implicitly, and utilize her time in Beacon to its fullest capacity.

However, that was easier said than done.

Weiss could only gawk at the explosion of materials that had overtaken all of the desks in the dorm room. When it came to Ruby’s logic, so few things made sense. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, but the tiny bits and pieces of metal wouldn’t seem to disappear. The team’s leader was more than happy to hunch over her project. She didn’t even seem to notice that she had company as she began piecing together her newest repairs.

“What in the world happened to our room?” Weiss demanded to know as she closed the door behind her.

“Hmm?” Ruby asked, looking up from a single bolt pinched together in her fingers. The unhappy look on her partner’s face said it all, and Ruby managed to look apologetic in response. “Oh, sorry. I know we all agreed to do our repairs in the armory, but something is really wrong with Crescent Rose.”

“It’s always something, isn’t it?” Weiss remarked, walking over to place her books on the bed. Even that wasn't safe from Ruby’s whirlwind of a mess. Thick rolls of paper had been strewn across her bed. Weiss merely sighed as she shuffled a few of the schematics out of the way. “What happened now?”

“I don’t really know. I was trying to figure that out.” Ruby shrugged. “One second I’m running battle drills, the next, she’s locking up on me. I’ve never had my weapon jam up so badly before.”

“I see.” Weiss replied evenly.

“Yeah, so…” Ruby trailed off, looking lost.

Coming to a decision, Weiss bit her lower lip to quell her agitation.

Working together meant keeping a level head. Yelling at Ruby wouldn’t do any good. If anything, Weiss felt a cause for concern. Ruby maintained her weapon to the finest degree. She cared for it as if the object has a soul of its own. If it was in a state of disrepair, the team would suffer for it during the next graded combat match.

“I take it that a basic tune-up didn’t solve your issues.” Weiss began, pulling Ruby from her mental prison.

“No, it didn’t. I figured I should give her a full cleaning and see if that would sort things out.” Ruby went on to say. “The only problem is some of the nuts and bolts are completely stripped, and I’ve never had that happen before either. It’s like the metal has been completely eaten away. I don’t know why. I clean her up good after every fight, it shouldn’t be happening.”

“If parts are being eaten away, that’s a sign of prolonged incompatible dust exposure.” Weiss told her. “Solvent will clean away the dust residue that builds up from frequent use, but it doesn’t repair the damaged caused by the dust in the first place.”

“This never happened at Signal.” Ruby said while shrugging. “I’ve done everything from recoating her inside and out with her fire and ice compounds, and even started to integrate lightning compounds into her shell to absorb Nora’s impacts, but she’s still taking damage. I thought I’d try to new oil fortified with green dust to act as a barrier, but that’s just done nothing but mess up my accuracy. I couldn’t even make a clean shot at the firing range today.”

“Where did you get the idea for green dust?” Weiss asked, finding herself more than a little curious. “That’s so far out of left field, I’d never even suspect that you’d try it.”

“I know, I know.” Ruby said, scratching at her head, annoyed with herself. “Nora suggested it, and I was desperate to try.”

“I see, well that makes sense. Her logic won’t translate to your weapon, Ruby.” Weiss told her expertly. “Green dust is a byproduct of yellow and blue dust crystalizing together when they’re in the ground. It’s a hybrid dust type, and it shouldn’t be used in forging weapons or maintaining them. The clause to the standard rule is Nora’s weapon. Green dust both enhances the properties of the coolant in blue dust compounds, and the ability to absorb impacts that yellow compounds provide. However, it is known to inhibit accuracy because it’s not stable by nature. Unless you want to use your weapon as a glorified beat-stick, it’s not going to get you very far. This is why Nora’s weapon has ammunition that accounts for a lack of precision aiming.”

“Yeah, well I had to strip it all, and I’m just not sure what to do.”

Weiss sighed at length. “Ruby, you’re not doing anything wrong with your usual set-up. You don’t need to change it. Signal was a combat school, not a huntsmen’s academy. You’re up against students like myself now. Some of us carry military grade dust around. No amount of regular cleaning will solve that. You’ll need to get used to replacing parts on your weapon more often. It’s not you, it’s just a product of going up against more potent dust types. There’s no way to avoid it.”

“You have tier three dust license?” Ruby asked her, nearly dropping the small damaged bolt in the process.

“Of course I do…”

“But you’re only seventeen!”

“Almost all academy students handle military grade dust in some way or another in Atlas. With huntsmen education feeding almost directly into our military, we have no choice but to become proficient quickly.” Weiss said dryly. “Besides that, I’m a Schnee, Ruby. What makes you think I wouldn’t be qualified by now?”

“I’m only a tier two…” Ruby murmured sadly.

“And for good reason…”

“Aw, come on. Don’t be like that.” Ruby told her tossing the little bolt away in the garbage as she got a new one out from her supplies. “It’s not like I’m that bad with dust.”

“Believe it or not, I didn’t mean that as an insult.”

“It sounded like it.”

“Tier two refined dust is perfectly adequate for most weaponry."

"Wouldn't tier three be better, though? It's way stronger."

"That completely depends on the topic, but for your style of combat, it's questionable certainly. Each tier of dust is regulated by how many times it has been refined. Each time dust is refined and filtered, it becomes more unstable. Tier three is the most unstable and purest form of dust that can be produced.” Weiss said as she down, carefully avoiding Ruby’s schematics as she crossed her legs and made herself more comfortable. “Tier two is far from civilian dust, that’s for sure. You built your weapon with tier two dust in mind, correct?”

“Yeah, but I didn't qualify for tier three. It is way more powerful!”

"Too powerful, perhaps."

"Even if I augmented her with the usual tier three coatings and oils?"

"I'm..." Weiss licked her lips. "That I'm not sure of." Weiss only frowned at that, she had no idea. She had never considered using tier three dust in a weapon like Ruby's. “If you tried to pack one of your rounds with tier three dust, it would likely combust inside of Crescent Rose the moment you attempted to switch modes with it. To be honest, I can’t think of any reason why someone would use such powerfully refined dust to pack a bullet.”

“Well, you use it, right?”

“If I didn’t, my sword would jam up instantly. I don’t use tier three dust by choice. I use it because my fighting style requires me to have the most potent dust at my disposal. My dust combined with my semblance is what gives me so much flexibility against an opponent. Unlike the rest of this team, my aura is much weaker than the average huntress. I’m a glass cannon, I won’t pretend otherwise.”

“What do I do?” Ruby merely signed, looking down sadly at her beloved weapon. Her lower lip quivering at the thought of poor Crescent Rose undergoing this level of damage with any sort of frequency. Weiss couldn’t take that dismayed look any longer.

“Alright, alright, stop pouting.” Weiss bit out getting off the bed to go rummaging underneath it. She pulled out one white suitcase, and pulled out a plastic bottle of clear liquid along with a rag. “Here, coat all of your new parts in this and let them dry before you put everything back together. It’ll provide some level of protection against even the worst dust residue. I wish I had something else I could tell you, but at the end of the day you’ll just be replacing parts more often. There isn’t any way to get around that.”

“I’ll pay you back.” Ruby told her, reaching for her wallet. “How much is one of those bottles?”

“Don’t even think about it. You wouldn’t be able to anyway.” Weiss told her. The single bottle was extremely expensive, and she refused to tell Ruby the price. Instead she put away her things before grabbing her textbooks. “You can have the room, I’m going to go study. When I come back this mess had better be cleaned up.”

* * *

Weiss had come to conclude that she was truly studying under some of the best educational staff in the world. She hit the books hard, mildly pleased when her team joined her. She enjoyed feeling the sense of accomplishment that came along with every high mark. She just wish they came more often, and hoped that these newly established team study sessions would accomplish that.

Ruby demanded they happen regularly now, one of her new rules as the team leader. It wasn’t a choice, it was an obligation, and she had made that very clear that everyone needed to work together if they had any hope of getting their poor grades out of the gutter. It was difficult to find the time considering that most of the team still had detention, but Ruby wouldn't budge, and group study time happened regardless.

Even Ruby was beginning to get a grasp for the material. Her grades were slowly rising as she poured her efforts into keeping up with the rest of the team. As studious as Ruby had forced herself to be, there were times she absolutely required the help. Weiss made sure to keep an eye on Ruby’s progress, offering corrections whenever she needed to. The others pitched in, and soon they were all correcting each other when it needed to happen.

It wasn’t always easy though, as their third study session as a full team showed in spades.

“The information in these three paragraphs isn’t factual.” Weiss told her, tapping at Ruby’s essay. “Oobleck will dock points for misinformation and historical inaccuracy. You need to rewrite all of them. I’d go back and fix your opening statement too, if I were you.”

“But I thought that all humans always had equal rights within the kingdoms…”

“Equality was a loose term.” Blake chipped in, her own eyes glued to the textbook in front of her. “Historically speaking, it came down to bloodline, social order, privilege, and money.”

“Doesn’t it always…” Yang sighed.

“Well…” Ruby began only to deflate as she realized just how many things she had gotten wrong. “Crap…”

“It came down to the laws in each kingdom as well.” Weiss told them, before turning to look at Ruby. “Make sure you include that someplace in this mess, too. Find a few books and site your sources, otherwise it’ll just end up in the trash can again.”

“Ugh, it never ends…” Ruby complained, laying her forehead onto the table with a soft groan.

“What I don’t get is the whole Mantle protest…” Yang said.

“What part of it don’t you understand?” Weiss asked her.

“All of it.” Yang shrugged.

Weiss merely sighed. “Prior to the war between humans and Faunus, each kingdom handled their own political and social matters. Some kingdoms chose to exclude humans that didn’t fit their desired mold. There’s a reason that Atlas once the coined the term ‘Atlesian White’. Only those with a fair skin tone had rights. Humans with darker skin, and all Faunus weren’t included.”

“Atlas is huge.” Ruby complained. “Why would they do that?”

“Cause people can be assholes, sis.” Yang shrugged.

“Vanity is one of the hallmarks of a high class atlesian.” Weiss told the siblings as she reached for a warm cup of coffee that rested beside her stack of books. “Our image matters, and to distort that image is thought to be dishonorable. Before the war between humans and Faunus, Atlas was extremely discriminatory. In order to keep bloodlines pure, those of darker skin were regulated to the settlement of Mantle.”

“See?” Yang said. “Assholes.”

“That’s just gross.” Ruby muttered with a frown, looking down at her paper as she began to erase the paragraph.

“Thankfully, that all changed when the war between humans and Faunus came to a boil.” Blake said, looking up from her own written report for Professor Oobleck’s class. “Atlas was at risk of losing supporters when the war began. Too many humans wanted their rights, too. Atlas promised to do away with the law, and they extended rights to all humans who agreed uptake arms in the war. After the war, the people of Atlas made good on their promise.”

“Well, to a degree.” Weiss corrected. “It isn’t quite as simple as that.”

“Humans received their rights, and Faunus didn’t.” Blake pointed out. “I’d call that a huge win.”

“A lot more went on after the war.” Weiss told her. “Things we don’t talk about…”

“Try me.” Blake pressed, leaning on the table.

Weiss looked down at the notes she had complied. She just wanted to get back to her assignment. She knew she couldn’t do that without giving some sort of explanation. Even thinking about it bothered her. There were some parts of history that shouldn’t ever be repeated. Ruby had perked up, looking at her curiously. Yang waited patiently, arms crossed and leaning back in her chair, and twiddling a pencil in her fingers. It was Blake who was truly hungry for an answer.

Weiss couldn’t take the way that amber eyes leveled a heavy gaze her way.

“Well, you’re right about one thing. Every family who served faithfully in the war were granted access into Atlas.” Weiss began. “However, every family who helped the Faunus, or chose not to join the military were left forgotten. What people don’t tell you is that when Atlas needed more forces, all of the able bodied men were forced to fight anyway. The punishment for avoiding the draft was death.”

“Hey, wait just a second. Weiss, I thought that was just a rumor…” Blake said, gripping her pencil more tightly in her hands. “Even the White Fang think that story is just a bunch of historical propaganda.”

“That’s what Atlas wants the other kingdoms to think.” Weiss told her. “We have a bloody history, Blake, and much of it gets swept under the rug. I only know the truth myself because my family is so tied to the military that some things are just known as factual. That's one of them, and it's corroborated by many of the families that served under the Schnee household. Atlas had a history of slavery too, before it was abolished. Even now, as you know, that only applies to Atlas and Mantle, slavery still exists outside of kingdom law, and Atlas hasn't put a stop to that.”

Blake flat out refused to believe it, shaking her head. "There’s no way they could hide something like that.”

“They did, and you have the military to thank for it.” Weiss went on to say. “Besides, if you think that’s bad enough, it only gets worse from there. The people of Mantle who had been drafted instead of joining willingly were all dishonorably discharged at the end of the war. They received nothing, and were denied access into Atlas. That’s what the Mantle protest was all about.”

“What happened after that?” Ruby asked.

“Nothing good. The people of Mantle who were forced to fight in the war wanted entry into Atlas too. They were denied. The people of Atlas decided they were unworthy and silenced the protesters. Things eventually went back to normal.” Weiss told her. “That protest is why Atlesian born men and women hate the people of Mantle, and vice versa.”

“Sometimes, I really hate history.” Ruby grumbled while tucking her chin into her palm.

“Yeah…” Yang balked. “No kidding.”

Ruby looked down at her half-finished assignment, considering just crumpling up the paper she had been working on. She looked around the table and noticed that the rest of her team were on the verge of being done. She didn’t want to fall behind again. Picking up her pencil, she got to work again, hoping to salvage at least some of her essay.

* * *

There were few things that Professor Peach hated more than the smell of cigarette smoke billowing around her office. It touched her sensitive nose in a way that few other things could. Even with age dulling her senses, they hadn’t dulled enough to ignore the signature smell, or the fact that the particular brand was one that wasn’t sold in Vale. The woman that perched the object upon her lips was just as complex as the combination of tobacco that was cased within the black paper.

The professor just sighed at length. When she had opened the window to get fresh air, she hadn't thought she's receive the uninvited guest.

“I doubt this is a social call.” Professor Peach said to her former student and Beacon alumni. The younger woman had always been a sea of contradictions. Her aloof nature clashing wildly with her desire to be around others. Raven had come flying into the open window and changing form to land deftly in her human form. She had been in a foul mood since her arrival, but that was common.

“You’d be right.” Raven said, taking another long drag of the cigarette in her hand.

“I suppose you’ve already handed in your report…”

“There’s nothing to report. Same old story, different day.”

“That has been the case for decades. Although, if there is no change I’d normally ask as to the nature of your visit, but I think it goes without saying…”

“Then tell me what I want to know.” Raven told her. “I didn’t come for mindless chit-chat.”

“I already told you, I refuse to mix myself in your family affairs.” This, Peach felt, was only fair. It was Beacon’s policy not to inform parents about the nature of their children’s progress. Without a medical emergency or critical information to be exchanged, Beacon Academy had little to do with families. It was important that students learn to have independence, and for families to acclimate to long stretches of time without proper contact. After all, some missions would make contact with families impossible for lengths at a time.

That was simply the way of the world. It was made easier of all parties involved if emotional distancing began while in the safety of Beacon Academy. If family members wanted casual information, it needed to come from the student directly. Therefore, it wasn’t exactly Peach’s place to answer Raven’s questions.

“I won’t be leaving until I’ve gotten what I came here for.” Raven replied impassively. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Peach. It’s up to you, but you know what I want. All in all, it should be relatively painless.”

“Unless you turn it into a pain in my backside, as you have a tendency to do.” The aging professor complained. Her tail twitched in displeasure. She was getting to be too old for this. “They have a father, you know. Perhaps you should speak to him.”

“We aren’t usually on speaking terms.” Raven told her, though she knew Peach was well aware of that. “Besides, I need a critical analysis, not one of Taiyang’s delusions.”

“Hmm, well, that seems to be a personal problem.” Peach told her. “They seem to be doing well, more or less. Take that as you will.”

“That isn’t what I was asking.”

“I know.”

“Don’t be a bitch…”

“Then perhaps you shouldn’t inspire me to be one.” At this, Peach set aside the work she had been attempting to do. Raven had always been difficult to deal with. Rough around the edges and quick to temper, but she had her code of honor too. Questionable as it was, Raven wouldn’t have come to Beacon without her reasons. Taiyang wouldn’t be happy, but, Raven was here now. Looking for answers that a doting father would never search for. “You could just ask the girls themselves, you know.”

“Tai wouldn’t like that.”

“Since when have you ever paid any mind to what he would or wouldn’t like?”

Raven bit her lip, scowling as she crumpled her cigarette in her hand. “It’s different with Yang and Ruby. Always has been, always will be.”

“Until now.” Peach told her softly. “It was not what you had hoped, but they have chosen to follow in your footsteps, for better or for worse.”

“Then stop dicking with me.” Raven groused. “I want to know those two won’t end up bloodied up heaps. Tell me they’re not as good as dead. Or tell me they are, and I’ll pull their asses right out of Beacon right now.”

And this, Peach noted, was the crux of all of the family issues. Why Raven kept her distance, and yet, stayed so close.

Taiyang was a nurturing spirit. Raven was not. Her show of love was coupled with cold calculation, because Raven new nothing of normalcy. A warm and happy family was not a concept she understood, try as though she might. For Raven something like that was as full of idealism, as it was out of her reach.

Yet, as distant as she was, the idea that her daughter could end up dead was her worst nightmare.

Raven cared for Yang, deeply, fearing for her life. She never admitted it, because it was a nightmare suffered too many times already. Loss was common for their profession. A byproduct of the inherent danger, and the lifestyle. Some made peace with it, other didn’t. Raven pretended to move on, went through the motions, but grieving was something that she couldn’t recover from. Never truly setting the past aside at all, she carried it all of it with her.

Peach knew that Raven wouldn’t leave, and if left to her own devices things would get dirty quickly. If pushed too far, Raven would push back.

Peach didn’t know if that would be for the better, so she aired on the side of caution. “Listen, they’re young ones, both of them.” Peach said softly, pulling away her glasses and setting them aside. “Wet behind the ears, unbloodied and unseasoned. Most students their ages are, but they’re not completely incompetent, either.”

“But they’re still at risk…”

“No more risk than you were, or any other student for that matter.”

“Risk enough.” Raven said, her breathing shallow as she considered that. Her hand poised over the hilt of her weapon. “If something happens to them, I’ll fucking kill him…”

“Tai?”

“Anyone that lets it happen, Peach, I’m not kidding.”

“What was he to do, exactly?” Peach asked her honestly. “Tell them no? They’re people, Raven, not slaves. Children grow up, and there is nothing you can do to stop that from happening. A few years from now or not, eventually the matter would have been out of his control.”

Raven didn’t like that. She knew it, but she still hated it. Finding herself lighting another cigarette unhappily, she grabbed at her hair and yanked it out of her face. “That little shit is more like me than I care to admit.” She murmured. “God damn…. I left her with those two idiots so that this wouldn’t happen, Peach. I trusted them, and they backstabbed me.”

“Tai raised his daughters, that’s all.”

“He trained the girls…” Raven shot back. “Didn’t raise them. Trained them. Qrow took Ruby out into the forests, and now she’s in Beacon.”

“A place she’s earned her right to be.”

“She’s still a child!” Raven shouted. “A baby in it all!” She said, temper skyrocketing. “You don’t give a ten year old a scythe and point her at the first Grimm you find! You don’t send a fifteen year old girl to Beacon Academy! Summer would have never let this happen!” Raven hissed out quietly. “Never like this…”

“Which is why I believe it did happen…” Peach murmured calmly.

“God damn it…” What else was she to say in the face of everything going on? This wasn’t in the plans, not even remotely.

“What else was to occur? At least when it comes down to Yang.” Peach replied, standing from her seat and going over to the cabinet locked in the corner of the room. Like many, she drank, and kept a small bottle to ward away the long hours of frustration that came with teaching students. Even ones like Raven, who never truly left the nest. “Tai says she’s aimless, you know.” The teacher continued, pouring the stiff drink into two glasses. “She’s looking for you.”

“Don’t I know it…” Raven muttered, accepting the drink that the short old woman offered. Shipping at it and relishing the taste of a rather expensive brand. Rock gut whiskey burned, but this was smooth as silk. Nutty and lingering, one of life’s few simple pleasures. “I should have taken them with me. Put them in the tribe and left them there instead.”

“Tai would have fought you all the way to the courts and back. You might have a biological claim over Yang, but you would have never won the war over Ruby, she’s not your child.” Peach told her. “Not to mention the can of worms that would have opened.”

“Fuck you.” Raven bit out. “Ruby’s as much mine as she’ll ever be, and don’t you fucking forget it.” Raven bit out. They were a family, as messed up as they were.

“The courts would have never seen it that way, and that’s the cold hard truth.” Peach said unwaveringly. “I understand that you aren’t happy about this, but Tai wouldn’t have been able to stop them from being huntresses forever. Ruby’s had her heart set on being a huntress since she was old enough to know the word. Yang is just as bone headed as you, twice as much the go-getter as her father. She wouldn’t have been happy to stay cooped up for long.”

“Still, Summer would slap the hell out of you if she heard you talk like that.” Raven told her. “Senile old lady or not…”

Peach nodded at this. So few knew the truth, but those that did guarded those facts very carefully. “I’m very certain she would, just as she would tan your hide too. Lord knows you deserve it.” Peach replied. “Summer wasn’t one to anger, but she was named your team’s leader for a reason. That didn’t change merely because she had a child.”

“That’s the first thing right you’ve said all day.” Raven nodded before trailing off with a sigh. "“I never should have let them out of my sight after Summer died...” Raven said darkly. “I shouldn’t have trusted Qrow and Taiyang to use their brains for once.”

“No you shouldn’t have, yet you did, and this is the result.” At this, Peach sighed. “She’s gone, Raven. You can be as angry as you want about that, but none of that anger is going to bring her back from the dead. Life goes on, it’s just that simple.”

* * *

Combat class ended with Jaune losing a fight to Cardin. Professor Goodwitch chastised him, and he crawled back to his locker somberly. She was right, he couldn’t maintain his aura, and had trouble managing combat tactics. He got creamed, and there was no way around that. Cardin had beat him into the ground, it wasn’t even a fair fight. Cardin was miles ahead of him, and he wasn’t even that high in the combat rankings himself.

Jaune couldn’t help but feel like a repeated failure as his rankings continued to slip from his fingers. His classes were hard on him, and his inability to do anything right made him think this was all some big mistake. It didn’t matter anyway.

He didn’t belong here at Beacon. He didn’t earn the right to be here, and that was something he hadn’t told anyone. His lie had gotten him into trouble, if he got kicked out, his team would suffer for it too. Teams had to consist of four people, and they’d be forced to waitlist and retake the year. He couldn’t let that happen. Across the locker room, Cardin put his gear away, going out of his way to push Jaune into the wall on his way out.

The blond man already felt down on his luck, but now he felt even worse. In reality, he probably deserved to feel this way. He greeting his team with a forced smile. He existed around their encouragement, but he couldn’t take it to heart. He wanted to, but even that was too hard.

“You just need to practice more.” They said.

“You don’t need to worry, you’ll get better.” They said.

“It was just an off day, don’t let it bother you.” They said.

They were so horribly wrong though. It wasn’t just an off day, or a single loss. It wasn’t just about practice, it was that he had no real training like the rest of them had in the first place. He wasn’t even sure of who said what anymore. He just nodded along anyway, half deaf to it all. Their voices droning distantly under the weight of his anxiety. He went through the motions of agreeing, and pretended to be fine. He had to, for their sake.

Deep down, he just wasn’t.

“You just don’t get better overnight, Jaune.” Ruby told him later that day, once they were alone. “It’s a lot of failure, and a lot of screwing up. That’s how you learn. I was total garbage too, until my uncle trained me. I told you that. You just need some one-on-one help, that’s all.”

She was the one voice that stood out among all of the encouragement. She was in dire straits too, for different reasons. Yet, she still stood strong. He wanted to be like her, like his team, and so much better than he was.

“I don’t think that’s the answer, Ruby.” Jaune told her. It wasn’t even close. Coming clean was the right thing to do, but doing that meant letting go of his dream. “I can’t believe I’m so weak...”

“No you’re not.”

“Yeah, I am.” Jaune said. “I just… I freeze up, pull my swings, and just all around suck. I can’t even get my aura to work right.”

“You’re not weak, Jaune. That doesn’t make you a weak person, that’s not how this works.” Ruby told him. “You’re just not a fighter… I wasn’t either… I’m still not one, not like I should be…”

“Ruby, you’re way ahead of me.” He said to her, unable to even look her in the eye as he said it. “You don’t do what I do. You can actually fight and win a match.”

“But, the fights aren’t real, Jaune.” Ruby murmured. “That’s why I can fight that way. I know that no one will really be hurt because the teachers won’t let that happen. If I had to break someone’s aura, I don’t think I’d get that far.”

“That’s really not a comfort.”

“Good, because it really shouldn’t be one.”

“Then what do I do?” He asked.

Ruby shrugged, unsure of what she could really say to help him. “Fighting people and fighting Grimm aren't the same things. If it was a real fight, and I was trying to actually hurt people, I’d probably freeze up too.” Ruby could only sigh as she looked down at the Beacon grounds from one of many balconies. “Street scuffles are one thing, but I’ve never been in a fight for my life against another person before. I don’t know what I would do.”

“Yeah…” Jaune murmured. “I can see that.”

“It sounds stupid, I know that, but you really do just need to keep working at it.” Ruby said, because at the end of the day, that was what she did. She refused to give up, even when she should have. That was the only way she got better. “You’ll learn not to pull back, you’ll stop freezing up and react with your aura. Those are things you learn when you lose, and lose, and lose some more. That’s really the only way to learn for people like us. You really do just need to get used to it.”

“Do you ever really get used to it?”

At that Ruby shook her head. “No, because the fear is always there…” She didn’t know if she would ever really be over that. The thought that she might have to kill someone bothered her. One day it would probably happen. That wasn’t something she wanted to think about, but it was bound to happen one day. “Jaune, I’m always a little afraid I’ll hurt someone. I guess I’m just used to the fear. I think that’s what you get used to the most. Everything else gets easier though, I can promise you that.”

* * *

As remedial lessons came closer to reaching an end, Ozpin sat at the conference room table, looking over the final teams to be cut from Beacon. He read them over with a relaxed eye, making the final approvals for the teams to be sent away for auxiliary training. Most he denied, choosing to keep them with the rest of the Beacon population. The few folders he did choose to send away contained what he deemed to be a team full of members who showed no improvement.

No first year team could be expected to run flawlessly. Every single team would have a problem or two, but he would leave the fate of most teams to the end of the year exams. Most would either pass, drop out, or be expected to retake the year. Still, even with that in mind, there were standout problems within the student body. He had three qualifications for his decision.

Firstly, they needed to showcase a lack of improvement thanks to remedial training. Secondly, their grades, combat standing, and rankings in totality had to be particularly low. Thirdly, the teams needed to display a complete lack of interpersonal comradery. Leaders needed to display direct incompetence, and members had to be proved to be completely unguidable as they were.

Alone, any single problem could be improved upon. However, these three factors combined, would leave an adequately fair assessment for teams that were simply not ready to begin the mission training. Placing the folders in two piles, he finished his assessments and folded his hands upon the table. “The left stack shall be sent to an auxiliary school. The right shall keep their positions.”

“That’s a rather tall stack, Ozpin.” Bartholomew murmured worriedly, nodding to the right one. It was more than he would have expected to be kept.

“I’m inclined to agree.” Peter said as he eyed the man. “I’d wonder at the reason.”

“Merely that there is hope for these students, questionable as it may seem. As long as there is hidden potential, I refuse to cut them.” Ozpin replied. “Several teams toe the line, but we’ve seen comebacks from teams like these in the past.”

“Making the gamble on wild card students is a risky proposition.” Glynda warned him, as she did every year.

“I’m willing to take that risk when pedigree outweighs the odds.” He replied, also much the same as he did every single year. “In several cases I’d like to think there’s some real merit in keeping these students around. In others, I’m merely not convinced that we’ve seen the full spectrum of their capabilities. Only missions will truly prove that.”

“The students upon this table still leave much to be desired.” Glynda told him. “I’m as willing to dole out pragmatism as you are, but only when that chance is earned. I just don’t believe that’s the case in many situations.”

“A carefully calculated risk is still prone to failure.” He murmured. “I won’t pretend that I’m not slightly concerned. I simply think that concern itself is not enough, and bias can only serve me as well as I utilize it.”

Glynda sighed long and slow, as she often did when Ozpin did something she didn’t agree with. She put her faith in him more times than not, but there were moments he tasted the limits of it. Times like now, when he did something truly mind boggling and then dug his heels into it belligerently. “With all due respect, don’t you think this particular set of students seems a little lackluster?”

“Don’t they always seem that way in times of peace?” Ozpin sighed at length as he reached for the coffee cup and took a measured sip. “Skill is left to be squandered when the need for that skill ceases to exist. I believe that this is exactly what we can expect from students who have never once feared for their lives or the collapse of established kingdoms. Those lessons can and must be learned only by experience.”

Professor Port merely frowned, fingers running along the length of his mustache in careful consideration. Perhaps Ozpin had a point, one that was proven by history itself, but it was not a comfort either way. “I think even with that understanding, the combat schools have done a disservice that will only continue as time goes on.”

“A price to pay for peace.” Ozpin told him. “This generation of students has no memory of any longstanding upheaval of safety within the kingdoms. The only ones that show that sort of promise come from outside the established normalcy provided by our protection.”

“Yet, with the tensions between the humans and Faunus rising once again, we don’t have the luxury to coddle them either.” Bartholomew told him.

“I don’t plan to.” Ozpin said to her. “However, I also refuse to nitpick the subtle ideologies of what makes a hunter until we’re blue in the face. We will always need huntsmen and huntresses. That’s a fact. I’d rather put my efforts into those with even the slightest promise, than to not put my efforts in at all.”

“It’s decided then.” Professor Peach replied. “Instead of focusing on that, perhaps we should discuss the impending mission assignments and class activities going forward.”

“Very well then.” Ozpin said.

“I take it you have suggestions…” Oobleck trailed off, curious.

“More like missing class materials.” Glynda said with a roll of her eyes.

“Correct on both counts.” At the professor Peach dumped a stack of papers on the table. “I have lists…”

With the stack of papers wafting upon the table, Peter merely raised his eyebrow, wisely saying nothing. He knew just what a stack like that meant, and his many years as a teacher implored him not to air a single complaint. If he was lucky, he could successfully avoid being sent on the wild goose chase for tree sap. He firmly planned to keep it that way.

* * *

Ruby liked to think that most people had good intentions. She was sure that was probably the case. She tried not to be judgmental, and did her best to see the good in everything she could. It wasn’t an unfair thing to expect, and everyone deserved to be given at least that much respect at face value. Unfortunately, she seemed to have found the one person who didn't fit that rule. A man who didn't deserve to be respected.

She couldn’t find the good in in the boy across the cafeteria. He didn’t seem to care about the good in others, either. No, instead Cardin Winchester was acting like pig. He had plucked several cupcakes off the trays of unsuspecting students, cramming them into his mouth and obnoxiously.

She found herself eating hers first, just so that he wouldn’t be tempted to come in her direction. She felt a strange sort of desire to hide from him. It wasn't because she was afraid of him. Rather, it was because she didn’t want to be seen dealing with him at all. She had never met a person like him before. Bullies were one thing, and she knew that not everyone became a hunter for the greater good. There was something different about him, though.

She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she knew she didn’t like it.

She wished her team was here with her now, but they weren’t able to come to the cafeteria at this time of day. Asking for detention to be extended for all of her teammates came with its own unintended consequences. Not having them around at mealtime was only one issue, there were plenty more. Ruby forced herself to put the problem out of her mind. She had to be firm, and as a leader it was a hard decision that she needed to make. She couldn’t and wouldn’t, go back on it now.

Not even if she was lonely, or slightly intimidated by the fact that she was alone at her usual table.

Instead, she cut into her meal as she skimmed through the weekly newsletter, a chunk of ham posed to her lips as she inspected the rest of her mail. The last round of team cuts had been decided, which probably explained why the cafeteria seemed just a little more sparse than usual. Ruby hadn’t received a notification, and breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that they weren’t cut. That was bolstered by upcoming training missions, trips into Emerald Forest, and the last sets of curriculum for remedial courses for first year students.

She couldn’t contain her smirk as she thought about escaping the math class from hell. There was a small clause at the bottom of the paragraph about expecting tutors, but that wasn’t nearly as interesting at the team leader bulletin found on the very next page.

“Hey Ruby…” Jaune said as he set down his full ham dinner. One of the best meals Beacon had to offer so far, at least in his humble opinion.

“Hey Jaune…” She said, looking up to see that his hair was sticking up in every single direction. She blinked a bit, cocking her head to the side before shaking her head. In spite of her better judgement, she found herself curious anyway. “What did Cardin do this time?”

“It was Nora, actually.”

“Oh…” She trailed off, absently reaching for her milk. “That can’t be good.”

“You can say that again. She had a bit of an accident in the kitchen. The rest of us got caught in the middle of it.” He said, a small smile coming to his lips in spite of the incident. “The toaster had to be thrown away...”

“She stuck her finger in it, didn’t she?” Ruby said, sharing his smirk.

Jaune cleared his throat, shrugging. “More like the tongs.”

She really shouldn’t have been surprised, but she was. “Why tongs of all things?”

“She was trying to charge herself up, I think. It just didn’t go well for the rest of us.” He told her, trying to smooth out his hair. “The others are going to be late cleaning up the mess. I would have helped, but I had to make an incident report. They told me to go on ahead, they’ll catch up later.” He replied as he made a grab for his utensils, flinching at the static electricity that was still all over him. “Can I borrow your newsletter when you’re done with it? Mine didn’t survive.”

“Yeah, sure thing.” Ruby told him, passing the pages over that she was done with. “I was just about to read the leader’s section.”

“Ah.” He nodded, leaning over to get a look at it. “Anything good?”

“Nothing much, it looks like first year teams are going to be doing a few odd jobs for Professor Peach. The mentor program is starting soon, whatever that means...” Ruby shrugged. “It says we’ll be getting more information sent to our scrolls later on. Everything else is for the older teams.”

“Oh…” Jaune said as he leaned back and continuing with his dinner. He wanted to think that everything was as it should be.

He wanted to, but he couldn’t. The doubts still lingered. As Cardin walked by snatching away his cupcake, Jaune felt his shoulders sag all over again. Cardin's mistreatment was happening more often as the days went by.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to go up April 1st, but with so many people cooped up in their houses thanks to coronavirus, and all the real world stressors floating around right now, it's nice to curl up with a chapter of fan fiction and forget about all of it. Therefore, here you go, you're getting it early.
> 
> Welcome to the first Intermission of Searching for Sunlight. These are one-shot side stories, flash backs, and other moments that don’t belong in the arcs themselves, but have a greater narrative impact for the main story because of their existence. These are things that were cut from main arcs, either because the content didn’t fit, or because there wasn’t enough of it to place it into the arc itself.
> 
> Basically, it would have been unwanted bloat that artificially extended chapters where it wasn’t needed.
> 
> These will only be taking place in between the arcs of the actual story. They’re infrequent, because most of the arcs in this fiction are 10-25 chapter arcs. So you’ll only see these now and then. That said, I really do like these intermission segments.
> 
> This one is all about team STRQ.

**** Searching For Sunlight  
Intermission Number 1  
Team STRQ: Snippets of the Past

There were things that simply weren’t talked about in the household. The reasons for that were as vast as the sky itself, but Tai had always boiled it down to one simple fact. The past was painful, and no matter how much he tried to lessen the pain, there was no cure for what ailed his family. He doubt there ever would be. The best he could do was keep it out of reach, so that his daughters weren’t infected with the years of malignancy that tormented what little was left of it.

Still, he held onto the old days that he recalled fondly. Wanting to protect them, of only because they should be remembered for their brevity. It was never perfect, but there was once a time when he was younger and hard the world at his fingertips. A lot of good things came from their insanity. He would have made a few different choices, maybe. Then again, hindsight was twenty-twenty, and the lot he’d been given in his life wasn’t all bad.

It just wasn’t all good, either. Nothing ever was.

“What are you doing with that old thing?” Qrow asked, flopping down beside Tai. The old album that had been beaten to hell and had seen better days.

“Just looking at it.” He said, flipping a page. “There’s a lot of old memories in here.”

“Strolling down memory lane, huh?” Qrow said more to himself than the man beside him. “I thought you got rid of that thing.”

Taiyang scoffed, his fingers running along one of the old images. “Nah, I only told Yang that so she wouldn’t go rummaging around.”

“It didn’t do you much good.” Qrow told him. “She’s just looking in different places now.”

“I know, but it’s not like I can keep her from doing it much longer.” Tai said, turning the page once more. “I thought about giving this to her a few times. Every time I almost get up the nerve to do it, she does something that makes me think it’ll be a bad idea.”

“A lot like her mom in that way…”

“She’s just so fixated on Raven, and that’s no good for her.”

“It’s no good for you, either.” Qrow added, his eyes scanning the page of photographs. “Hey, I remember that.” Qrow said, pointing to one of the images of their Beacon days. Raven was crossing her arms unhappily as she was forced to stand for the image. Summer, the happy shutter bug, had been clicking away at the camera while the boys stood beside them. “Second year, you and Raven had just gotten together around that time.”

“Yep, and you were with Summer by then, I think.” Tai agreed.

“Maybe.” Qrow said softly, scratching at the stubble on his chin. “It’s hard to remember exactly when that happened.”

“Well it wasn’t serious for any of us, at least not back then.” Tai told him with a shrug. “Honestly, we were just getting our kicks.”

“But what good kicks they were…” Qrow said softly.

“Yeah, they were…” Tai agreed. “You know, it was just after this that the girls started up a thing together…”

“It was also about when you got nailed in the head with that dust crystal…” Qrow added.

“Yeah, that was around this time too.” Tai agreed.

**(Beacon Academy: Team STRQ, Fourth Year)**

There was something to be said about being on the same team with his own sister. Namely, that anything could happen, and it often did. Qrow was happy not to think about every single thing that could go wrong. He knew Raven well enough to know it would be anything and everything. This was proven true once more as he sipped from a cheap bottle of wine that he pilfered from for a store in downtown Vale. It was a simple luxury, and he intended to enjoy it.

Unfortunately for him, life had other plans.

“What in the hell happened to you?” He asked as Taiyang came stumbling through the door absolutely covered in dust shards.

“Raven hit me in the head with a dust crystal.” Tai explained, still shaking yellow dust from his equally blond bangs.

“You touched her ass again, didn’t you…”

“Hey, if she didn’t want me to touch it, she should have goaded me into it.” Tai said with a shrug. “Besides, it wasn’t her ass that got me smacked. I left a hickey, she said no marks. I forgot because we were hot and heavy.”

“I told you she’s a spitfire…”

“Yeah, well…” Tai shrugged. “Raven happens, I guess.”

“Dude, smack her with one back next time.”

“I’m not going to do that and ruin my chances, she’s hot!”

“She’s my sis…” Qrow said, lifting the bottle to his lips. “Where’d Summer go?”

“Still hot and heavy. They kicked me out.”

“God damn it, I’m not drunk enough for that image…” Qrow replied then, tipping the wine bottle back again. “Summer’s mine tonight, man, and you and Raven had better leave us the dorm room. You grabbed the rubbers, right?”

“It’s handled.” Tai said, tossing Qrow the box of condoms from the student commissary. The man barely caught it one handed. “We’ve got an arrangement with Roman.”

“That asshole?”

“His team is headed out to do god knows what again. We’re snagging his room.”

“Dipshit move, my friend.” Qrow warned him.

“Hey, you said to get out, so I’m getting us out. Take it or leave it.”

“I’m not dumb enough not to take it. I’m just saying that Roman’s bad news any way you look at it. I wouldn’t be crashing over there too often if I were you.” Qrow just rolled his eyes, once again sipping from his wine.

“Gimmie that.” Tai said, snatching the bottle and swigging.

“Tai, get in the shower before you ignite again…”

“It’s not fire dust this time…” He said, taking another deep swig.

“Masochist…”

“I’m not the one that likes to be tied up, thank you very much.” Tai shot back, as he returned to bottle, and wiping his lips with the back of his hand. “By the way, that stuff tastes like ass.”

“Then stop bitching and get your own.” Qrow replied flippantly. “This is my prize, and I’m going to enjoy it.”

“Suit yourself.” Tai shrugged, grabbing his toiletries and heading out. “I’ll be in the showers. Let the ladies know that I’ll be taking care of dinner.”

“Right, right.” Qrow agreed. “It’s your turn anyway. It better not be pizza, either.”

**(Rose/Xiao Long Household, Present Day)**

“Now that I think about it, that landed you in the dog house more than once…” Qrow said with a smirk. “Never did learn your lesson, either…”

“That’s not true, I learned plenty.”

“Didn’t stop Raven from kicking your ass.”

“Yeah, yeah...” Taiyang muttered unhappily. “Summer kicked yours just as much whenever you pulled your usual shit in class…”

Qrow shrugged at that. “I’d be damned if I didn’t at least admit that I deserved it, though.” He had been clocked upside the head a few times for insubordination. He could admit it, he wasn’t exactly a team player as a student. Never at first. Summer never wanted to lay down the law, but she had laid into him hard and often whenever he put up a fight. If he thought about it enough, he could still feel the echo the beatings she had given him in the arena. “Lighting a fire under Port’s ass was a great way to piss off Summer. At least I grew out of it, unlike you.”

“At least I could navigate both of their tempers better than you could.”

“Raven’s pregnancy begs to differ, don’t forget _that_ little debacle.”

“Nine months is hardly a little debacle…”

“I was trying to be nice.” Qrow said, mostly uncaring about the reaction he received as he slung his arm over the back of the sofa and put his feet up on the coffee table. “I never thought a broken condom would result in the worst nine months of my entire life…”

“Oh my god, I thought we agreed never to speak of that again.”

“Summer promised.” Qrow said. “I did no such thing.”

“I was trying to be a good boyfriend!” Taiyang said defending himself. “I never thought I’d piss her off so much.”

“You know my sister, she’s like a cat that way. Always likes to suffer alone.” He said with a roll of his eyes. “All I know is that if Yang ever gets knocked up, I’m fleeing for Vacuo until the damn kid comes out…”

“Raven wasn’t that bad…” Tai told him.

“Oh, buddy, I know I spend my life half trashed, but I wasn’t drunk enough to forget that shit…” Qrow muttered. “I’ll never forget the day you found out…”

“Yeah, no kidding.” Tai sighed. “That was a day...”

**(Rose/Xiao Long Household, The Past)**

“Raven, it’s not a big deal.” Taiyang said slowly.

“It’s a baby, nimrod!” Raven shouted at him. “It’s a huge deal.”

“All I meant was that it’ll be okay.” Tai said holding his hands up in the air in surrender. “It just came out wrong.”

“Lot of that going on recently.” Qrow told him. “How’d you break a condom anyway?”

“How do you think?” Tai bit out at his teammate. “Raven, it’ll be fine, really.”

“No, it won’t.” Raven bit out angrily. “I have to decide what I’m going to do…”

“What's there to do?” Tai wondered, as he said on the side of her bed, trying to be comforting and failing miserably.

"Figure out if I'm keeping it or not..."

"Who in the hell would even think that's a question?"

“The doctor!” Raven shouted at him. “Which you would know if you actually here for the appointment, you jackass!”

“I was on a mission!” Tai shouted back. “Qrow’s out of commission for god’s sake. I couldn’t just not go, not get paid, and not put food on the table!”

“I’mma kill the both of you, if you don’t shut the hell up!” Qrow added irately, visibly crumpling up when his broken rib tormented him for flailing around. “Uh, god, fuck all of you.”

"That's what started all of this in the first place." Summer sighed.

"Hey, I'm not the one that diddled Raven and knocked her up..." Qrow bit out.

“Stay out of this!” Raven and Taiyang bellowed back in unison before a sharp whistle cut through the air, silencing them all.

“That’s enough.” Summer demanded. “We need to make a decision.” Summer said easing tension in the room with her ‘obey me now’ voice. They all knew what that meant, and quieted instantly. “The doctor told her that if she’s going to get an abortion, sooner is better than later. We need to talk about this seriously and consider our options.”

“We’re keeping the baby.” Taiyang told her.

“Glad you have the final authority over my fucking body…” Raven groused.

“We can’t afford a damn kid.” Qrow told them. "Dear god, just thinking about it freaks me out."

“If we have to make ends meet, we will.” Summer said to them. “The only surefire way to prevent a baby is abstinence. We knew this was a possibility, but we’ve been sexually active anyway. A baby is the result of that. Now, we can sit here and continue shouting at each other, or we can discuss this like rational adults.”

“We’re keeping it.” Tai said.

“We can’t afford to.” Qrow added once again.

“It’s too dangerous, to keep it.” Raven added.

What?” Summer bulked. “Raven, what on Rem-”

“You heard me.” Raven interrupted with a shake of her head. “I can’t have a baby. I… I just can’t do that.” Raven murmured, at a loss as she sighed, cursing under her breath. “Never mind everything else. Qrow and I work for Oz. We’re knee deep in shit that could get us killed daily. If I have a kid, it’ll be a target…”

“Raven, you don’t know that.” Summer told her calmly. “You job is dangerous, yes… Although, I would argue that all of us fall into the same boat, just as every hunter does. It doesn’t keep them from having lives or families.”

“This is different. My missions are so classified that Qrow and I can’t even talk about most of them, and he's in Ozpin's special little group too.” Raven told her. “What am I going to do, change my name and join the witness protection program?” Raven asked her heatedly. “I. Can’t. Have. A. Kid. What part of that don’t you understand?”

“The part of you that says you can’t.” Summer told her. “Because you haven’t once said that you don’t want that baby. If you didn’t want it, that would have been the first thing out of your mouth, and it wasn’t.”

“Summer…”

“No.” Summer murmured. “Don’t… Don’t do that, Raven.” Summer told her quietly. “All of you listen to me right now, no one is doing that. We’re not going to come up with a billion different reasons why there shouldn’t be a baby in this house. It’s either we want a child, or we don’t. Based on that, we have options.” She turned to Raven then. “Take some time and think it over, but don’t get rid of this baby based on fear. We’ll figure it out, we always do.”

**(Rose/Xiao Long Household, Present Day)**

“Hellacious nine months aside, I don’t think she ever regretted it.” Taiyang murmured thoughtfully.

“Raven?” Qrow batted the thought away before it could even bury deep into his head. He knew better. “Nah, never in a million years…”

“Yeah…”

“Hey, how much do you think Yang really remembers?”

“She was two when Raven left the house the first time. I doubt she really remembers much.” Taiyang sighed, closing his eyes and leaning back on the sofa to join Qrow. “I never really asked, I didn’t want her bringing anything up, either.”

“Maybe you should have.” Qrow said softly. “Raven never really knew how to be a mom, but she loves that kid.”

“Then she should have put things aside, Qrow.”

“Now that’s asking the impossible. You know Oz had her working in deep by the time Yang was born, she couldn’t have put that aside. If she did, she’d just be living in fear, and no one wanted that.”

“I know.” Tai told him. “But what kid would really want to hear that their mom put a mission over her family?”

“A kid who knows the business…” Qrow told him. “Look, there’s no justifying a lot of the things we did in our lives. I’m not saying I agree with the way Raven thinks, but I get it. I know where it comes from.”

“I don’t.” Tai told him. “I never did.”

“And you never will, Tai. That’s just the way it is. You’re a family man, that’s you. It’s not the same for us. We don’t get to play house, and pretend the world shits sunshine and rainbows.” Qrow told him mildly. “Nothing good lasts forever, but I can tell you a whole lot more bad things would have come if Raven had stayed. Be happy for the past we had, for as long as we had it.”

“A lot of good memories there, too.” Tai told him. “I know that she was never mom of the year, but you know, I really wish she could have stayed.”

“It wasn’t an option back then. She was in too deep by that point. The kids would have both been at risk.” Qrow told him. “Though, if you really want to make things right, Yang’s not a baby anymore. It might be worthwhile to tell a few of those old stories now.”

“I wouldn’t know where to begin…”

“How about the time you broke the dish washer?” Qrow asked with an upraised eyebrow.

“For the last time, I swear, I didn’t break it.”

“That’s not how I remember it…”

"Your memory is faulty then..."

"I call bullshit on that one." 

**(Rose/Xiao Long Household, The Past)**

“You can’t brute force it like that, Tai.”

“I’m not, I’m just trying to loosen the pipe.”

“It’s not working, give me the wrench.”

“Nah, I got it.”

“You’re going to break the pipe.”

“I won’t, I promise…”

“…You broke it…”

“Whoops…”

“Tai! Why?!”

“Oh dammit…”

Raven idly heard the commotion in the kitchen between Summer and Taiyang. She pointedly ignored it. It was just a typical day in the STRQ household, and that was never complete unless some sort of ruckus was going on. She was much more interested in catching a nap. Even as Taiyang went running down into the basement, Raven couldn't bring herself to care.

“Springler!” Yang squealed happily, making a run for the fountain of water splashing all over the kitchen.

“A what, baby girl?” Raven asked, her eyes closed and her thoughts groggy. She was only partially paying attention to her daughter’s gibberish. She was too tired to really care, and too hung over to translate whatever it was that Yang was trying to say. “Yang?” She asked again, eyes still closed.

“Yang, no, stay out of the kitchen.” Summer ordered. “Tai, get that water off, now!” She shouted loud enough to be heard from the basement.

This got Raven’s attention and she bolted upright before seeing the geyser in the kitchen and doing the math herself. “Oh, hell no…” Raven said grabbing Yang and hoisting her up by the overalls before she could splash in the mess that was on the floor.

“Down!” Yang insisted.

“No.” She said, looking to Yang. Before side eyeing the kitchen. “You and that in there? Not a thing.”

“But it’s a springler…” Yang said, pointing to the water flying out of one of the pipes.

“No.” Raven said firmly. “Kiddo, that’s not a sprinkler.” She said before looking into the kitchen where Summer was trying and failing to combat the gushing water. “What on Salem’s left tit is going on in here?!”

“Not now, Raven, I’m a little busy!” Summer bit out as water hit her face.

“I see that…” She muttered dryly before calling down to the basement. “Tai, what the fuck?”

“It was an accident!” He called up as the water to the house turned off.

“Yeah, no shit…”

“I’ll fix it in a second.”

“You damn well better.” Raven said before rolling her eyes and taking her daughter away from the mess.

“Would you idiots can it with the shouting? Some of us are trying to sleep.” Qrow complained as he stopped through the slowly growing puddle that began invading the living room. He looked down at it, blinking before reaching for the flask he kept in his vest pocket. “Alright, I’ll bite.” He muttered unscrewing to the top. “What fresh hell is this?” Like Raven he had just returned from his mission, tired and trying to rest.

“Tai broke the dishwasher.” Raven said, placing her child on the ground in front of her coloring book.

“Ah...” He muttered, collapsing onto the sofa. “Good job on that then…”

“I did not.” Tai shot back, tool box in hand has he came up from the basement.

“He did too.” Summer corroborated, her pregnant belly protruding ever so slightly from under her shirt as she came in from the kitchen soaked to the bone.

“It was on its last leg when we bought the stupid thing.” Tai shot back. “I didn’t break it, it just died.”

“You murdered it…” Raven said dryly.

“Yeah well now you ladies can really appreciate these guns.” Tai said, flexing his powerfully muscled arms with a filthy grin on his face. “Your fawning will be my payment for being your personal handyman.”

“Just go fix the dishwasher before Raven drowns you in the puddle.” Summer sighed fondly, swatting him on the arm with the sopping wet towel that was in her hand.

“Which you made, by the way.” Raven reminded him for the umpteenth time.

“Qrow, get in here and help me.” Tai said over the noise of metal changing against mental.

“I just sat down, I don’t want to move…” Qrow complained. The girls laughed at his comment, knowing it was made with just as much fondness as it was annoyance. He forced himself to stand and meander his way into the kitchen to be useful.

“I’ll drown you, too.” Raven told him.

“Just get in here…” Tai complained back at him.

“Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Asshole.” He said disappearing into the kitchen earning another round of giggles.

“That’s rich coming from you.” They heard as a mild warfare began in the kitchen.

“Ass-wole?” Yang asked, looking up from her coloring book scribbling to look up at her mom with confusion. She was unsure why the adults were all laughing but if they were happy, so was she. She just wanted to know the joke too. It must have been funny. “Wat’s a ass-wole?”

“It’s the hole in your butt.” Raven told her little girl who had begun to parrot everything that she shouldn’t be. Then she grinned. “It’s also daddy, apparently.”

“Raven!” Summer squawked, glaring at the woman with a devil may care attitude. Summer could only sigh. “It’s a bad word, Yang. Don’t say it.”

“Oh…” Yang said, she was fine with that. There were a lot of bad words. She wasn’t allowed to say them. Uncle Qrow said them the most, and she was used to it. She went back to coloring then as life continued on in her happy little world.

**(Rose/Xiao Long Household, Present Day)**

“That is not one of the stories I was thinking of telling Yang.” Tai said dryly. “Besides, I did fix the damn thing.”

“Until it broke down again a year later…”

“Which is why we bought the new one.” Tai sighed. “Why do you all of your memories have to do with things that tortured me?”

“Because I find them funny…” Qrow told him with a yawn. “Bedsides, it doesn’t really matter what stories you tell her, all that matters is that she knows…”

“And how do you suppose I tell my daughter that one of the most wanted criminals in on the planet, also happens to be a woman that only a handful of people have seen before?” Tai asked him. “How could I possibly tell her something like that? Or that Raven’s been ordered to search for this lady for the past twenty years? How do I reconcile any of that crap into something Yang could even begin to understand?”

“You don’t.” Qrow sighed at length. “You don’t say a word about it. That’s not either of their business, and you keep them both out of it. You tell them about the good days. The barbecues, the stupid shit we got up to, the dishwasher, and all of the nights that Raven was up dealing with Yang as a pissed off baby. Those are the stories you tell. You leave Raven’s mission, my mission, and everything to do with any of that crap out of it…”

“If that’s the case, I might as well just not say anything at all.” Tai said, closing the album and setting it off to the side. “It’s all just the past, anyway…”


	27. Chapter 27

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXVII**

The early morning light drifted through the dorm room. The sun hit the window just right as songbirds woke from their nests to start the day. Weiss listened to the sound, still amazed by the wildlife that commonly frolicked across the campus. It just wasn’t as common in Atlas. Few animals could live comfortably in the snowy north, and those that did weren’t the kind of creatures that would merrily perch outside on a nearby branch.

The rest of the team slumbered peacefully in their beds. Ruby was cocooned in a nest of her own, surrounded in far too many blankets. She had a habit of sleeping in the smallest possible ball she could. Curled up and looking like a young Nevermore with the mask across her face. Across the room Yang snored quietly, mumbling nonsense about decking someone in the face. Even in her dreams she was always boisterous, constantly seeking out a good fight. Blake was soundless and still, her gentle breathing the only indication that she was alive at all. Her habitual habit of wearing that black bow oddly trespassing into the realm of bedtime too. Weiss couldn’t understand the need for the accessory.

Sitting at her desk, she combed out her long damp hair. Fresh from the showers she took comfort in the peaceful air that surrounded her. Her cotton robe wasn’t clearly as pristinely white as it used to be. She was no laundry maid, and not at all a master of service. While she could certainly figure out how to use a washer and dryer, lacking the household help meant making due with substandard attire. Her father would have had a fit if he saw her now, sharing a room with three other women who were just as lacking in proper appearances as she was.

Weiss knew that it couldn’t be helped, but it was no excuse.

At least, it wouldn’t be for a man such as her father. He would question why she hadn’t sent her clothing away to be tended to properly. She couldn’t tell him that she liked her own independence. There was something oddly gratifying in folding her own laundry. She hadn’t realized what privacy she had lacked before. Leaving the maids to tend to her every whim meant that she could not possibly allow herself to seem even slightly unkempt.

She hasn’t thrown away a pair of panties, knee highs, or socks since arriving at Beacon. She found it strange that she had ever practiced the wasteful act at home. If there was even a chance that a stain couldn’t be removed, they would have been tossed. Destroyed or discarded merely for the slightest imperfection. She was wearing one such pair of undergarments now, imperfect, because life was simply that way by nature. Proper cleaning was sufficient enough, and no one would ever question it. Most people were the same way after all, folding away their clothes without worry or stubborn pretense.

That was the normal thing to do. The way of the greater world. A life for those that hadn’t been born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Crafted for the people that didn’t have unimaginable wealth at their disposal. Setting down the brush and adjusting her robe, Weiss sighed as she looked out of the window. Her crystal blue eyes lingering on the gently swaying branches of the tree just outside the window.

Standing from her chair she collected her clothes resting neatly across her bed and began to get dressed. She had a meeting to attend and she couldn’t be late.

The trip to the library was a short one. Small private booths sat along the far wall, sound proof and made to take calls across the kingdoms. They had the best sound and video quality available to Remnant. Some were available for use at any time of the day. A few had to be booked for use. A single red one was closed to the public completely, red letters painting the door.  _ Emergency use only _ .

Entering into the room she booked, she sat down and checked her reflection one last time in the monitor. Then she made the call. It took only a few moments to be patched through to her father. The man sitting impassively at his desk. It seemed to be a typical morning as he took his morning coffee gently sloshing within a finely crafted china cup.

“Father, how wonderful it is to see you.” Weiss told him pleasantly with a small smile upon her lips.

“To you as well, my dear,” he nodded, the lingering smoke of an atlesian cigar wafting just at the edge of the screen. It was as though he had just pushed it off to the side. He likely would have put it out entirely if she had been in the room. It was impolite to smoke in front of women. While he was many things, boorish wasn’t one of them. “I would have hoped to receive a call from you sooner than this. I take it that you must be busy with your studies.”

“Yes, well I have been quite busy devoting much of my time to my studies.” That wasn’t a lie at all. Merely an omission of the countless hours she had been spending in remedial classes. He wasn’t furious, meaning he obviously didn’t know. Glynda had kept her word, she hadn’t notified him. Weiss knew she would need to keep it that way. “There are several exceptional students in my classes. I have needed to put in the extra effort in order to stay within proper rankings.”

“Is that so?” Jacques asked mildly. “You were trained exceptionally. Who could possibly be so grand that you find difficulty keeping pace with them?”

“Well, Pyrrha Nikos comes to mind.” Weiss told him with a casual shrug.

“Oh?” At this, his interest lifted tenfold, as she knew it would. That’s what she needed out of him. A desire to focus on the people that were truly prominent. “I have not kept up on the rising star. I didn’t think she would attend Beacon Academy as well.”

“Oh, but she does. She resides with the team across the hall from my own. While our bouts in combat class remain a constant pleasure, she is no slouch in the arena, or within the confines in academics.” She told him, clinging to one of the few facts that would truly please him. “I can tell that she will be my foremost rival. We’ve been training together on occasion. I thought you might approve.”

“Very much so, my dear. You would do well to be associated with the esteemed Pyrrha Nikos. It bodes very well for the future.” The man said with a soft grin of his own. “It is not a slight to know that you have such a challenge ahead of you. In fact, I believe it is quite the opposite. If anything, I am pleased to know you have found such a useful friend to depend on. Tell me then, is your team exceptional as well?”

“Yes, of course…” Weiss said, wishing that would be true as well. In his eyes, they wouldn’t be. “My partner Ruby Rose comes to mind. I should warn you, she is a commoner. In fact, I was quite worried about that detail at first. It turns out that my fears were not warranted. She was granted a full scholarship into Beacon and she is only fifteen. Our rankings are tied together. We have been studying together to ensure that her grades don’t slip.”

“She is quite young to be attending Beacon.” He said, his voice edging on the line of suspicion. “I worry she may become a burden upon you.”

Now she knew she needed to be careful. She couldn’t give him too much information, only enough to sound appealing. She wouldn’t be able to speak of Ruby’s childish antics or lackluster grades. Speaking even an ounce of her naivety would be a problem, and making even the slightest nod to Ruby’s unquestionable altruism would be out of the question.

“Headmaster Ozpin invited Ruby to attend.” Weiss went on to say, knowing she needed to think fast. A leap and a bound ahead of her father. “I think that alone indicates the acclaim she could receive, wouldn’t you say so?”

“Perhaps I would, and perhaps I wouldn’t. I will say that you seemed to have found yourself in an interesting situation.” Jacques allowed with a soft grumble, his mustache crinkling under the displeasured agreement. “Do you believe this girl to be worthy of such fame and future fortune?”

That was a loaded question, and she could feel it biting into her.

“Actually, yes I do.” Weiss told him. That was not a lie, either. Merely a version of the truth. Ruby could reach high levels of critical acclaim if the media took notice of her. She doubted the girl would want the spotlight. Then again, a fifteen year old attending an academy like Beacon was unheard of. “After all, Pyrrha was a commoner too before she lifted to greatness. With the right guidance I fully expect the same of Ruby. I feel very comfortable saying that Ruby has great potential. It would be wonderful for our family if we were to be noticed as the ones to cultivate her skill further.”

“A calculated risk, then?” He questioned.

“Yes, indeed it is.” She replied. “My entire team is notably comprised of carefully calculated risks. All of them are scholarship students, not just Ruby. Blake seems to be a historical and political mastermind. Yang just so happens to be Ruby’s older sister, and has affinity for combat specializations. She’s much like Pyrrha in that way. Yang may have never toured the arena, but she’s certain to be Pyrrha’s future rival in the classroom standings. I have my work ahead of me.”

“So, all-in-all, your time at Beacon has proven fruitful thus far.” Jacques surmised. “There is nothing amiss to report, not even slightly?”

The question was the sort that would pry deeply into personal matters. She had to appease his curiosity. Furthermore, she needed to craft a statement that was entirely believable. She felt her face darken, unable to stop the fear that if he disapproved even slightly there would be repercussions. Ones that she wouldn’t be able to control. Worst of all, he would pull her from Beacon Academy.

“Weiss?” He asked. He even managed to sound sincerely concerned for her. “What is it, dear?”

A small part of her heart wished that was the case. That maybe he loved her deeply as a father should, and that he asked out of true concern. That he held no true ulterior motive behind the question. If only that could be the case. Then she could have done what she really wanted. Airing to him all of her strife and her many troubles. However, she knew her father well. She may have been a daddy’s girl, but the line had always been clear.

He had high expectations of her, and he demanded that each of those carefully laid plans were upheld. She was the heiress to the largest dust company in the world. Although she knew that her father loved her deeply, that love was twisted by his greed.

“Father, I would be completely delusional if I said that it was perfect.” That was something she could be brutally honest about. If only he knew the depth of it. If only he could understand, and be the father she had always wanted. The father that cultivated her dreams and amused her youthful expressions. “None of my teammates are Atlesian. They are not even highborn in status. We do not always see eye-to-eye.” Weiss told him, because that was so true it sometimes hurt. “I’m sure you can see how that may be troubling.”

Jacques took pause at this. She managed to look in his eyes. When she did, she saw a flicker of something she rarely saw. Something so profoundly special for its rarity. A quiet, contemplative sadness. The sort she had only seen when she was young. Crying over deaths she couldn’t understand, being held to his chest as she wept. Board members, those like family, slain in cold blood by the Faunus of the White Fang.

“Yes, I can see how that would trouble you.” He replied then, his words slow and gentle. “Weiss, you must understand, commoners know nothing about us. If it becomes too difficult, you may come home at a moment’s notice. I would never ask you to amuse the idiocies of low-brow rabble, it would be beneath you.” It disgusted him to think she would suffer at the ignorance of the common people. “The very thought is unconscionable.”

That may have been true for him, but so many other things weren’t. He saw her best interests in a very black and white way. He had a plan for her, and it was a plan that she didn’t completely agree with. She didn’t want to be under his thumb, but cutting ties with him completely was unthinkable as well.

Weiss wondered what might happen if she could be even remotely truthful. “I do not want to leave Beacon Academy.”

“Yet, you sit here before me hurting in ways I cannot mend. If you do not allow me to help you, what am I to do?”

“I just want to talk, and I feel as though I can’t.” Weiss told him. “That if I do, you will think me a child that needs to be coddled.”

“You may always talk to me, Weiss you know this.” He told her. “You may always speak to me. I merely get the impression that you never wish to.”

That was a sound conclusion to make. She normally never sought him out for guidance anymore. He was not a good man, flawed beyond measure and cruel when provoked. She didn’t want to look in the mirror and see his face looking back at her. She didn’t want to believe that she would become the sort of person she knew him to be. Regardless of that, she loved him as only a daughter could.

She had vague memories of the days she followed him around like a duckling, days when he allowed it. Proudly placing a hand atop her head, smoothing over any imperfections in her hair with a soft smile and pride in his eyes. It was with those memories that she dared to speak a little more freely.

“Father, you act with the ferocity of a blaze when merely a spark will do.” Weiss told him. She noticed that the near perfect mask of hers cracked more than she had ever allowed herself to notice. That her time at Beacon had truly changed her, and it would probably continue to do so. “This homesickness I feel is very strange. If I were to return, I would see it as a failure. I cannot fail. I can’t bring myself to even consider it an option. Even so, I wish to talk, just like we used to do.”

“Then you shall talk, and I will listen.” He told her. “Speak to me, Weiss. Air your concerns so they may be off your chest.”

Where to even start? What to even say.

“Blake and I have had our differing opinions, and that can only be expected…” Weiss began slowly, still unsure. “Ruby is almost that of a prodigy, but she is still a diamond in the rough…” Yet, her chest began to feel lighter, even if only a little. “Yang is perhaps most like a huntress. Certainly not the sort that would do well at a gathering for tea, but she is very skilled. If you were to ask me if I consider these ladies friends, I fear that it is too soon to tell. However, I do believe that my teammates are suitable for my goals here in Beacon…”

He hadn’t tried to interrupt. As the words flowed, his lips were closed. His chilly blue eyes that were usually glacial lacked his usual scowl. Comforted by that, she spoke even more. Carefully as always, but with a timid little hope that it wasn’t all in vain. Trust placed blindly for reasons she couldn’t even begin to fathom herself. She would still be careful, cautious, but the urge to have even one last moment like this with her father was too strong to ignore.

She wanted it. Perhaps she even needed it. A simple heart-to-heart with her father, no more, no less. Was that really so impossible to ask?

“I had my doubts, sometimes I still do. I wish I could pinpoint an exact moment when I began to realize just what I was getting myself into. Though, I suppose all of my worries started on the day of initiation…”

* * *

There was an old saying, hindsight was twenty-twenty, and Blake had heard it often in her life. Unfortunately, every ounce of clarity that she found at Beacon muddled her past. Blake found her view changing, shifting violently in her mind. Now those things she used to know as truth couldn’t be justified. The Faunus of the White Fang were in deeper than they knew, sinking lower by the day, and most probably didn’t even realize it.

Those that knew just how deeply they’d fallen probably didn’t care. For some it would be a justified means to an end, and for others it would be true martyrdom. It sickened her to think she had once been one of them. Life at Beacon Academy just wasn’t the same, and she needed to leave many of her old views behind like that of scars on her back left to be ignored.

Initiation, classes, meals together, studying, fighting, detention. Sharing a dorm and trading in her concept of privacy for unity had not been an easy thing. It was all a blur of moments congealing together. She knew that one day, she would come to call this a single and paramount memory about the start of her new life. Beacon Academy was a place with crude lessons and messy conclusions.

Maybe that was the way things were supposed to be. She wasn’t sure. Life with her team started to take on new meanings.

Just that day they team RWBY shared breakfast with the team across the hall. They went to a few mid-morning classes together, and cracked open their books for an hour afterward. In that way, humans were the same as Faunus, seeking a social circle and a place to belong. They just sought out that place in different ways, but it wasn’t malignant. Far from it, it was just the way humans socialized without keener senses, or pure instinct to pervade their thoughts.

Dispersing to go their separate ways was slowly turning into a more casual thing too. Less heavy, less forced. As though they were merely going about their lives, and not strictly out of avoidance.

Yang got on the airship for Signal to tutor the young combat academy kids, just as her Beacon scholarship demanded. Ruby joined the others in JNPR for an afternoon in the media room. Weiss headed for the student commissary for a new notebook and learning materials. Her old one suffering a wet and stained fate at the hands of spilled grape juice. The fact that Blake even knew those details were a novel concept. That she had shared her own plans for the day in passing spoke of the growing communication between them.

It was almost peaceful. It was almost organized chaos. The two congealing together. It wasn’t a happy medium just yet, but it felt like it could be. That, if they all did their best, one day they could actually call themselves a real team working for a common goal.

Blake couldn’t remember the last time she felt that way.

In the warm glow of the scroll, Blake felt herself laughing at the ridiculous stack of books that sat on Tukson’s front desk. There were too many of them. The large stack teetering precariously as she watched the man sort them into more manageable plies. The huge donation of used books would find a home in a bargain bin once he was done checking them over. With the midafternoon sun high in the sky, Blake basked in the warmth. Resting in the comfort of a nearby tree in the courtyard, it was a wonderful way to enjoy the afternoon.

“I’m happy to know that you’ve finally managed to get along with your teammates.” Tukson said idly as he nudged the stack in place before it toppled on top of him. “I was worried that you wouldn’t. The last time we spoke, you weren’t very respective to the idea of bonding with them.”

“It’s not like we’re friends or anything. It has just been a long few weeks.” Blake told him as her bow twitched at the breeze. She couldn’t help it when her ears were tickled just right. The fabric was too thin to truly keep the wind away. Brushing some long strands of wavy black hair out of her face, she leaned further against the tree to avoid the gusts of wind. There was a mild crispness to it, signaling the slow fading summer. “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but they’re more tolerable than I first thought.”

That was putting the matter mildly. Tukson raised his brow at her.

She scrunched her shoulders in a non-verbal reply.

“Tolerable?” Tukson echoed as he rolled his eyes. Looking older than his years. “Are you completely sure that they can’t be more than that?”

Could they be more like friends? Probably. Did she want them to be? “I’m just taking things slow…”

“Any slower and you wouldn’t be moving along at all.”

“It’s not that easy.” She could admit that transitioning into a team environment full of humans hadn’t been the smoothest thing in the world. Some of that had been her fault, though. With the tiniest cock of her head, she tucked her chin low. “I don’t really know if things will work out, but they are better than before.”

“Are they?”

“I’d like to think so.” Blake said with a shrug. “Weiss has even been trying her best to make things work out. I can’t mess that up.”

Detention forced her to spend time with Weiss. As more time passed, the more she noticed about the heiress. There was a real beating heart beneath all of that bluster of hers. Her eyes were more emotive than Blake had given her credit for. She wasn’t above cleaning grime and filth, wasn’t below her own ideals. When Weiss had spoken of the Mantle conflict, she hadn’t done it with bigotry. She could have been rude and derogatory about the lower class, but she didn’t.

“That’s high praise coming from you.” Tukson noted, placing several books in the bin and collecting more to sort through. “I would have thought you’d want nothing to do with a Schnee.”

“She’s very strange.” Blake allowed, unable to think of a nicer way to put the matter. “It’s not like she’s the nicest person on the planet, but I was a real ass too. I can’t really complain about her if I’m no better. I even made her cry. That was the breaking point. We called a truce after that. We agreed to try and do better, but I don’t know if that will work if she knows I’m a Faunus, and former White Fang.”

“You are your father’s daughter in that way.” Tukson sighed. “You have his temper, and his temperamental way of responding. Ghira was the same when he was young, but that’s not all you have in you, Blake. You have Kali’s compassion too. You shouldn’t forget that everyone struggles, not just Faunus.”

“Some people more than others, though.”

“Hmm, that I won’t deny.” He said with a soft chuckle. The sound resonating deeply from his chest. “How is the little one?”

“What little one?” Blake asked. “Oh, do you mean Ruby? She’s okay, too.”

“Just okay?”

“Well, she’s starting to act like a leader, so things aren’t so bad.” At that, Blake bit her lower lip. “Although, she did make my detention worse than it would have been if she had just stayed out of it. Then again, I deserved it, so I’m not going to complain. I um…” In thinking about it, she had done so much damage to make up for. It would be slow going, but she would make things right. “Ruby was more upset than angry at us, I think. She accepted our apology, but I feel like I need to make it up to her.”

“A fine standard to hold yourself to.” Tukson replied. “Although, Blake, you should know that humans aren’t nearly stringent about proper apologies as Faunus are. We focus on reparations because it’s the right thing to do to appease our instincts. For them, spoken word holds weight. If she accepted it, she probably genuinely means it.”

“Weiss even said we should do something too, so it might be the same for them. Although, she’s upper class, so that might have something to do with it, I don’t know. We tried to make cookies. That didn’t go well.”

“An honest attempt and pure ambitions means more than the success of those efforts. You must remember that.”

Tukson’s large hand landed over the stack of books that was shrinking by the second, Blake found herself looking at all of the whimsical titles. A few reminded her of Ruby and that thick book of fairytales. She had given the book away simply to get rid of it. Regardless of Blake’s intentions, it had meant something to Ruby. It wasn’t just kindness. To Ruby it was a true gift. It was so easy to recall those silver eyes of hers glimmering in reverence at the pages. She had seemed to look beyond all of the words on the page, as if truly seeing something else there. Ruby Rose was a true dreamer in that way, seeing possibilities in places that Blake couldn’t.

“What about that partner of yours?” Tukson asked then.

“Yang still grates on me a little. She doesn’t try to, she just does.” Blake sighed then. “I know she’s a good person, Tukson. It’s just that in the back of my head, I still can’t help but thinking about how she would react if she found out the truth.”

“Baby steps, Blake.” He told her. “Would it be so bad if you told her?”

“No, probably not. She said she had Faunus friends as a kid. I believe her when she says she thinks we need to do better as a team.” At that she sighed. “I just don’t want it leading to questions that I can’t answer.”

“Now you’re just being paranoid.”

“Yang’s a little bit nosey about that kind of stuff. She’ll ask about my family, and where I came from. When I say she can almost be too friendly, I mean it.” Blake said to him, hushing when she noticed a few students passing by. She waited until they were further away to begin again. “Besides, I don’t want to ruin a good thing.”

Blake wanted to believe it. That this team would be a good thing in her life. Something worth holding onto.

Tukson nodded at this. “So, do you enjoy living among humans?”

Did she really like living this way? Among humans instead of Faunus? Within a school that housed humans in a vast majority?

“I don’t hate it.” Blake told him. It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, but she was still in hiding. “Although, they still think I’m one of them. I haven’t told anyone the truth.”

From trying to annoy Weiss ever since meeting her, and being as antisocial as she could be in team dynamics, Blake had made a long list of mistakes. She had been nicer to Yang, and had even tried to be kind to Ruby. Sadly, a book for the young leader and a single outing with the elder sister wasn’t enough. Helping Weiss with homework was to be expected, it wasn’t exactly something she could praise herself for. They were acting like a team, but Blake wondered how far that bond could really go.

“You should tell them the truth sooner rather than later.” Tukson told her. “It’s a matter of trust, Blake.”

He was right, but she didn’t want to make another mistake. She didn’t want to trust another person so deeply, only to be betrayed again. She wanted to take her time, go slow, and decide for herself. Without the pressures of others telling her what to do.

“On another topic, I tested out of most of my remedial classes.” Blake told him. “Well, all of them but one. Professor Peach probably won’t let me escape sex-ed any time soon. I think there’s only a week left until students are released from the classes to go to tutoring. I don’t think I’ll be given a tutor though, she said she would teach me privately as a favor to my dad.”

“Always pampered, even when you don’t realize it.” Tukson grumbled idly as he looked down at the torn pages he wouldn’t be able to salvage. He placed it into the recycling bin, lamenting that he had to do it in the first place. “Have you called your parents?”

“We’ve been through this.”

“I’m just asking.”

“The answer is still the same.” Then Blake’s lips thinned into a tight line. “I want to be like them…”

“Like your parents?” The man murmured questionably. “You are Blake, more than you know.”

“No, not like them.” Blake said softly. Her parents were great people, but that hadn’t been what Blake was talking about. Something else had been on her mind. “Like my teammates. I want to be more like them.”

Like Yang, so incredibly unguarded. Like Ruby, without the world jading every little detail. Like Weiss, and her conviction to cross a divide that seemed impossible.

She wanted to be like that. To have some version of those qualities that were entirely hers to have. Something that couldn’t be taken away. Dripping with intangibility. Undeniable, regardless of the fact it couldn’t be seen. That proof of its existence was not those of scripture or history, and didn’t need to be.

“Tukson…” Blake trailed off. How could she quantify it when those little details were not the sort of things that could be measured? “These people… They’re not like everyone else, and I can’t explain it better than that. I’ve never met anyone like them before. They’re not like the Faunus of the White Fang, and I tell myself they’re humans so there’s no way they would be. Then, one of them does something that makes me think that everything I know is just so wrong it could have never been right.”

That was the crux of it. Between all of the idle chatter, Tukson had probably figured that out for himself.

He finished sorting the books and she let him return to his work. Ending the call with a roll of her eyes as Tukson reminded her to once again call her parents. Their number was probably still good, and her thumb brushed over it when she noticed it in her scroll. It would have been easier to fight an ursa than it was to press the call button. She closed the scroll and pocketed the device.

She would be the person she wanted to be one day, she just needed to figure out how to do it. Then, when she had something to finally be proud of, she would call her parents.

* * *

At dinner, they suffered through chunky tomato soup and sandwiches from the side counter. The main counter served questionable looking sliced meat. It dripped with gravy that seemed too thick to be palatable. Blake was happy to forego the soup entirely, reading one of her thin black books with the cover hidden from view. Weiss practically dumped the pepper shaker into the red colored broth in an attempt to flavor it. Meanwhile, Ruby didn’t mind the bland meal as she smiled to herself.

She couldn’t help but stifle a laugh as Weiss still begrudged the soup.

As partners, they had certainly come a long way since the start of Beacon. What had begun as a less than civil partnership had evolved into a rather amiable friendship. At least, Ruby wanted to think so. Spending their days in the woods had been some of Ruby’s favorite moments. The late study sessions and moments in front of the television hadn’t been too bad, either. She couldn’t help but feel they were making progress, and that made her heart swell in a way she couldn’t really put a name to.

It wasn’t just pride, it was something else too.

“Hey Ruby, I need to borrow Yang again.” Blake said, drawing Ruby from her thoughts. “I’ve got another supply mission after detention on Monday. If I get you the paperwork over the weekend, think you can just sign off on it ahead of time?”

“I could, but do you think she’ll be free?” Ruby asked, trying to remember Yang’s full schedule.

“Yeah, she’ll be free, and she knows I need her.” Blake told Ruby with a small nod. “It’ll be a late night though.”

“Where’s the mission at this time?”

Blake looked back down at her scroll amber eyes searching through the detail. “We’ve got to pack sixty supply kits and fly them to Signal. Why would they need supply kits?”

“For the kids, it’s just a day pack.” Ruby told her. “When you turn ten you can enter into the combat program. When the kids go into the forest on weekend camping trips they need to take them.”

“They go on weekend trips that young?” Blake murmured, blinking back at Ruby and frowning. “How does that work?”

“Well, we’re still separated by gender in Signal, so the girls go one weekend with a few female teachers, and the boys go the next weekend with a few male teachers. Most of the kids don’t even stay in the dorms. Yang and I did sometimes, but our dad was a teacher there. You’re not even broken up into teams when you’re that young. It’s all just basic survival training, like the class Weiss is taking.”

“I heard that.” Weiss bit out. “Please don’t equate my training to that of a child.”

“Well, it’s true. It’s a lot like that at combat school.” Ruby told her. “The classes the younger combat kids have are way easier though. It’s pretty much scavenger hunts, nature walks, and playing games. You have to get used to being in wilds before you can really learn about them. They always have an adult, and the areas are heavily guarded by Beacon students to keep the Grimm away...”

Weiss scoffed at that, and they all went back to eating.

After dinner, the team dispersed again. Blake and Ruby headed to the gym to clock a training hour. Weiss joined Pyrrha in an attempt to help the members of JNPR with complex dust theory assignments that Nora couldn’t quite grasp the specifics of, and that Jaune didn’t understand at all. Yang finally arrived back to the campus on the final airbus when the moon was high in the sky.

Seeking out her sibling, they made a call of their own. The booths inside the library were too small for two people. The sisters were packed together like sardines to utilize the larger video screen and faster reception that the dormitory just didn’t have. They called Taiyang, watching his face light up as he answered his scroll in a warm greeting.

They spoke about everything and nothing, topics mingling together. Ruby talked about her teammates and about the team across the hall. Yang complained about class and all of the work that was piling up. Together they glossed over student life and the little details.

“I knew they weren’t really getting along, but I thought they would figure it out. Then Yang let Weiss and Blake get into a fight.” Ruby told her father who sat with his scroll in front of him. Regaling him of her time in Beacon so far.

“It wasn’t a fight…” Yang shot back. “Just a little disagreement, really.”

“Was too. I ended up getting a call from Professor Goodwitch about it.” Ruby grumbled, trying to cross her arms and finding it impossible to do comfortably. “I made sure Professor Goodwitch gave her detention too.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Taiyang asked with a roll of his eyes. In the background they could hear the family dog gnawing on one of his squeaky toys. “Some things never change…”

“Some things do.” Ruby told him happily. “Weiss and Blake did stop fighting. We started really studying together as a team, too. We might actually get our grades up if we keep working hard.”

“Well, at least you’ve all learned valuable lessons. You didn’t even have to take them into the arena to do it.” Tai said, idly shaking his head. “You’re Beacon students. You’re supposed to be working together, not fighting. Having you girls at least keeping the room tidy at least?”

“Kind of…” Yang shrugged.

“It looks better than our room back at home.” Ruby told him.

“That does not inspire confidence.” He muttered. “Can you at least see the floor?”

“It’s not that bad.” Yang complained. “Trust me, Weiss would kill us. She harps on me enough as it is. She dumped the trash can on my head when I got back from Signal.”

“Don’t make me add another week to detention.” Ruby warned her, wagging a finger. “I will, and you know it.”

“Mind your team leader, Yang…” Tai added. “Also, maybe try to avoid a law suit with one of the most prominent families in all of Remnant. Being arrested is one thing, but I really don’t want to fight with the lawyers in the SDC.”

“Oh god, Dad not you too.” Yang said as her attention turned back to the screen. “Between Goodwitch kicking my butt all around the area floor and Ruby on me all the time, I just can’t catch a break.”

“At least there have been no dust related mishaps.” Tai said with only a hint of relief before both of his daughters began to send strange sideways gazes between them. “There was… wasn’t there?” He deadpanned at the sight.

“You know how Ruby is…” Yang said, twirling some blond hair idly. “Exploded her first day here.”

“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“Nope.”

Tai scrubbed at his face, murmuring about going grey before his time. He wanted to think his daughters were acclimating smoothly to the new school, all of their minor hiccups aside. As a father though, he couldn’t help but feel like it would be a long four years to graduation. With papers to grade and the late hour, he knew he shouldn’t keep them much longer. “Alright girls, as much as I’d like to stay up chatting, you have your responsibilities, and I have mine.”

“Yeah, and it looks like you haven’t been sleeping at all.” Yang said skeptically.

“I’ve been busy worrying about you two, when do I have the time to sleep?” He asked, his lips quirking into a smirk. “It’s my job to worry, you know.”

“Yeah, I hear you.” Yang said dryly. “You still need to sleep though.”

“She’s right dad, you need your rest.” Ruby agreed. “You can’t be staying up all night either.”

Saying their goodbyes they hung up the call before making their way back to the dorm room. By the time they got there Weiss was already in her pajamas. Laying across her bed on her belly, she turned the pages of her textbook taking notes. Blake was on her bed writing in what had to be a journal. The siblings grabbed their own pajamas and shower supplies to get ready for bed.

It was just another typical day in Beacon Academy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 4/8/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	28. Chapter 28

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXVIII**

It was business as usual when Jaune had to bend down to pick up his books, papers, and newly cracked scroll in the middle of the hall. Weiss wasn’t particularly fond of Jaune, but even she wasn’t cruel enough to ignore the mess of papers. The blond man was trying to pick them up before they were trampled on further. It was already a lost cause, but it didn’t stop him from trying to salvage something.

She sighed as she bent down to pick up the pencil at her feet. Taking a few steps she gathered the eraser and the first of many pages. She didn’t bother to ask who had done such a thing. She just didn’t need to. An already perfect guess came from the snickering team just a few feet away. She sent them a passing glare as she picked up the loose bits of notebook paper. Scuffs that could have only come from the bottom of a shoe marked the page, ruining what would have been a completed assignment.

What was the point of doing something like this to another person? Why go through the trouble? Surely, there were better things to do with one’s time than harass other people needlessly.

The world turned their noses up at her family, but most in the Schnee family were only guilty on the surface. Winter would never stoop so low. Whitley, for all of his outbursts and emotional trauma, would never even dream of doing such a thing. Her mother was a socialite born and raised. Her father was the only true menace, and even he could find goodness in his heart on rare occasion. Even he would not do something so pointless unprovoked.

“Hey, babe, the offer is still on the table if you’re looking for a real man.” Cardin called out, earning several pats on the back from his team. “That limp-dicked twerp isn’t worth your time. Leave him there, and I’ll show you a good time.”

Weiss hissed out a breath that might as well have been a dragon spitting lava for all of the fury she released in that single instant. “A real man? Is that what you think you are?” She bit out, storming her way over to him and slapping him clean across the face.

“Yeah, babe. That’s right. If you’re looking for a good time, I’m your man.” Cardin told her with a grin. “So, what do you say?”

“You’re nothing but a child,” her voice was soft, but dripping with disgust. “A real man has integrity. As for you, all you have is an ego that’s too big for your britches. First of all, my name is Weiss, and that is strictly what you’ll call me from here on out. Secondly, you will cease any and all interest in me that you may have. Now, unless you’d like to hear from my personal lawyer about your continued harassment, I’d suggest you leave quietly.”

“Fine then, have it your way, princess.” Cardin said, bowing cockily in front of her. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Come on guys, let’s go…”

“The nerve of some people…” Weiss sneered, turning to look at Jaune who was still collecting his things. “You shouldn’t allow him to treat you this way, Jaune,” she said, more than a little agitated that his assignments seemed completely ruined by a mere bully. “You really should take him to the arena. His abhorrent behavior is getting out of hand.”

“It won’t do any good. He’d just beat me up again. I’m no good at fighting.” Jaune murmured sadly as he finished collecting his things.

“Scrolls are expensive to replace,” she replied when her shoe touched a few shards of the broken glass. “The school should replace it, but due to the cost it may be difficult to get approval. If you need me to corroborate the incident report, please let me know.”

Gingerly taking the stack that Weiss handed him, he smiled at her kindness. “Thanks for the help.”

“Don’t mention it.” Weiss said, holding up her hand to silence what she knew to be another attempt at a date. “Please, just don’t.”

“You really don’t like me, do you…” Jaune said sadly. He didn’t even know what he was doing so wrong.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. He truly didn’t understand. Then again, she doubted that he would. It wasn’t in his nature to think of his status in life, or to put that status into perspective. The wealthy men and women of her father’s business circle certainly didn’t leave her alone. They were always in search of something. If they didn’t cease their constant and bothersome efforts in trying to court her, why would a well-meaning boy like Jaune?

At least he was honest about his pursuit. She believed him when he said that he wanted to spend time with her. It was clear he wasn’t asking for anything more than that, his brain likely couldn’t even make such a drastic leap. Jaune was annoying, but ultimately harmless. That small detail had become clear over his constant attempts to earn her approval.

His efforts were earnest. Idiotic perhaps, but not underhanded. He was like Ruby in that small way. A gentle person, persistent by nature. He genuinely wanted her to like him.

Unfortunately, those good qualities were overshadowed by his habit of being terribly misguided. Unless she explained the matter in no uncertain terms, he likely wouldn’t give up. Still, she refused to speak the matter plainly. There were some things that weren’t meant to be spoken about in the public school hallways. In fact, her situation wasn’t even for the knowledge of the general public, let alone the people she couldn’t trust implicitly.

Jaune would have to make due with an indirect reply. It likely wouldn’t appease him, but it was all she was willing to offer.

“Jaune, you need to understand something.” Weiss said to him, gaining an imperious air about her in hopes to drive the point home. “There are two kinds of people in this world. People like me, and people like you. To even stand a chance, you would need to become like me. I can tell you for a fact that it would never happen. That’s why my answer will always be no.”

She left it at that, turning on her heel to let that little truth sink in, if it even managed to at all. Somehow she highly doubted he would catch on, but that was probably for the best. She headed back to her dorm where her own studies awaited 

* * *

After throwing away his broken scroll and filling out a request for a new one, Jaune meandered back to his room unhappily. Today just wasn’t his day. He closed the door loudly behind him before collapsing onto his bed. There his team watched him in concern. He began tossing a small ball up in the air and catching it while telling them about his day. They listened compassionately, and he was thankful for that.

“If you want, I can mess him up for you.” Nora willingly offered. “Normally I wouldn’t, but Cardin really deserves it.”

“That he does.” Ren agreed mildly, a gentle concern in his eyes. “We could at least have a talk with him.”

“Talking isn’t going to do anything. People like him only answer to one thing.” Nora told him, one fist smacking into the palm on her other hand.

“If it comes to that, we can certainly take matters that far.” Ren told her.

“Why, so you can end up being his new targets?” Jaune asked, not liking that idea one bit. “That guy is a total jerk, but I don’t want him bothering you guys too.”

“I’d just send him into the nearest wall.” Nora shrugged with a sideways grin.

Jaune just rolled his eyes. He wouldn’t doubt it. In the end, Cardin wasn’t what bothered him the most. He was used to getting picked on. That wasn’t anything new. What really got to him was Weiss. In spite of his best efforts, she flat out refused to even give him a chance. “I’m more bothered about the whole Weiss thing. There are two kinds of people, that’s what Weiss said to me…” he muttered unhappily. “What does that even mean?”

“Just forget about her, Jaune.” Nora told him as she fidgeted with one of her stuffed animals, poking it in the nose before holding it to her chest and rolling onto her side. “There are plenty of other girls out there who would be happy to have a guy like you around. Isn’t that right, Pyrrha?”

The redhead sent her spunky teammate a soft glare as if to silence her. Now was not the time for the shorter woman to play matchmaker. Agreeing was the only thing she could do, even as she returned her gaze to the book in front of her. “Nora’s right, Jaune. There are plenty of girls who would be very interested in a man like you. Perhaps you should look elsewhere.”

“Is it just because she’s rich?” Jaune asked, deflated. “Is that the only reason?”

Pyrrha sighed at length. She knew the truth, but it wasn’t her truth to tell. It was a silent fact. Something that was only murmured and gently insinuated about by those of a certain pedigree. Those that did speak of it didn’t delve too deeply on the subject either. Weiss Schnee was now eligible for talks of arranged marriage, and her father was collecting possible suitors like coins in a jar. Each one probably held some measure of value, or some type of acclaim. The head of the Schnee family had been throwing Weiss dates left and right ever since she was sixteen. According to the rumors, none of the young men she had been introduced to had interested her.

She was probably done with the entire matter by now, and wanted a break from it. That was highly plausible. There was a less plausible rumor going around though. Pyrrha had heard it in passing at one of the most recent charity events she had attended. Word had it that the search for a proper suitor now extended to particularly wealthy women of incredibly high status. The murmurs said that Weiss had even gone on a date with a woman. Pyrrha wasn’t sure if the rumor was true or not.

“I wouldn’t claim to speculate about the way that Weiss thinks.” Pyrrha replied softly, feeling bad for him. That her own chest ached was a secondary thing, put behind her. She just wanted to see Jaune become happy. “However, I can tell you that being in a certain position usually garners some very unwanted attention. Particularly the sort that doesn’t have the best of intentions.”

“So she’s had a few people treat her badly before?” He said, latching onto that like a lifeline.

“That would be a fair conclusion to make.” Pyrrha told him softly. Her own dealings with men were matters she would rather not think of. High class men always wanted something, and it was never anything positive. She had even received her own arranged marriage requests when she was given her metals and sponsorships. 

The wealthy had never taken notice of her before that. Even though she had attended a prestigious combat academy with plenty of people higher in social status than she could ever be. It wasn’t until her fame that they cared, or even tried to speak to her.

The reality had been depressing. Pyrrha had experienced that personal hell for herself, she knew that Weiss likely didn’t want anything to do with it.

* * *

Weiss was in the middle of sifting through her homework assignments for the day when her scroll rang. Double checking her work, she grabbed it and placed a ruler down to mark where she had left off. Ruby’s image came up across the screen when she answered. Commotion and rustling reaching her ears before the image became less blurry.

“Hey Weiss, can you do me a huge favor?” Ruby said, clearly on the other side of the campus in one of the dust theory rooms.

“It wouldn’t have anything to do with the wads of paper in the garbage can, would it?” Weiss asked, eyeing the overfilled can suspiciously. She wasn’t about to start picking through the rubbish to search for something that Ruby might have misplaced.

“Nope, that’s Yang’s fault.” Ruby said, with wads of wet paper towel in hand. “She knows the rule. She who tops it off, dumps it off.”

“Yes, well perhaps she could use the reminder then. It’s overflowing,” she replied dryly before sighing. “What do you need?”

“Our packages just came in, can you go get them before they get lost in the back room? You’ll probably need to sign for them, there are some packages in the mix I think.” Ruby asked her. “I would go myself but…” She trailed off, pointing her scroll in the direction of a class assignment, or what little was left of the smoking remains of it.

“I don’t even want to know how you accomplished that.” Weiss said, gawking at what had to be a failed dust experiment. “I’ll go get the mail.”

“Thanks.” Ruby said with a small smile. “I better go clean this up, huh?”

“Yes, preferably before the residue eats a hole through the table…” She hung up the call with a roll of her eyes. There could be any number of volatile combinations to cause such a mess, and she truly didn’t want to consider any of them.

Weiss didn’t know what exactly she expected when Ruby asked her to accept the mail call. All of their mail would be sitting in the dormitory operations office down on the first floor. Deliveries requiring a signature could mean anything. It could be dust or munitions, perhaps. That certainly seemed logical, and completely within the bounds of reality. When she got down to the office she noticed a few parcels with the SDC logo. The dust was likely packed away in the box, along with corresponding solvents and crystals.

That, Weiss happily decided was very typical. However, there was one thing that wasn’t. In fact, it even brought her to a stiff and abrupt pause as she glared at the pornographic magazine sat on the top of the stack of mail provided to her.

That shouldn’t have been in the pile at all. Weiss blinked a second time, but the scandalous item didn’t disappear. That must belong to someone else, someone not on her team. Ruby would simply need to sort the matter out later. She certainly wasn’t going to try and explain her team’s proclivities, or the lack of them, to the dreary-eyed dormitory clerk who wasn’t paying her any mind in the first place.

As a point of fact, calling attention to this little matter was the last thing Weiss wanted to do.

Instead she placed a few of the larger envelopes over the top of the nude woman. The busty redhead seemed to be using a helmet to cover what little modesty she had left. Considering her breasts were on full display, that effort was entirely futile, not that the woman seemed to mind in the first place. It was so obscene that Weiss couldn’t even fathom why the photo would be taken in the first place.

Frankly, she hated thinking about that, too. It was beyond all reason.

Discreetly as possible, Weiss carried the packages to the room, setting them on the desk. She took her own mail from the stack, a single envelope addressed to her in Klein’s elegant cursive. Everything else could have caught fire, and she wouldn’t have cared. Especially if the magazine was in the center of the inferno. That, Weiss decided, would have been a blessing.

That matter was set aside for the moment. Something to hopefully address with Ruby later.

Weiss sliced open the wax seal that Klein used to close the envelope. It was hardly required in this day and age, but the effort itself was heartwarming. Inside there was a short letter folded in near perfect thirds. The same elegant script that could only belong to him resting between the lines. It resembled the formal education of a blue-blood. Neat writing was paramount in high society, even for a butler.

Then again, butlers reflected the state of most servants in the house. A slovenly butler, in either appearance or in mannerisms, would speak ill of the family keeping him. It was a disrespect to everything and anything a butler might hold dear. At least that was what Klein often complained about when the staff gave him fits over idiotic and petty arguments. The young under-butler serving beneath him was a constant point of annoyance for Klein too, if only because he expected the boy to grow up well under his tutelage.

The letter contained a few of these observations in passing. He offered idle banter about the household. He asked unassuming queries about life at Beacon. Weiss smiled at this. The corners of her lips quirking in mild amusement. Klein asked none of the questions she might expect. If her father would have his way about it, he would have asked other questions. It had nothing to do with grades, curriculum, or even the staff at the school.

Instead, Klein asked if her meals were satisfactory to her refined tastes, and wondered if the school gardens were as beautiful as they were in the brochures. Such simple things, really. She couldn’t help the laugh that slipped from her lips as Klein asked how Vale’s regional tea blends held up to scrutiny. It was such a strange thing to ask, but perfectly fitting for a man who kept so few pleasures at his disposal.

He wondered how she compared the refined Atlesian blends and the robust flavors found lower in Mantle to those of Vale’s premier brands. He wondered the same about the coffee, commenting that she should send a list of approved assortments to choose from. He wanted to order them for the house, noting the need for it when she returned during the holidays. Then he wished her well, closing the letter with fond regards. He hoped to hear from her in the near future.

A call certainly would have been easier, but there was something more personal about sending a letter. There was a dignified grace to all of it, both in the length of time it took to pen out a thoughtful response, and the habitual manner of the act itself.

She was sure that Klein had penned his own thoughts in passing. Likely with a fine cigar to his lips, sitting in front of the warm fire after a long day of overseeing household matters. She suspected that he would read her response in much the same way, because Klein was simply that sort of person, reliable and predictable in that way.

She was just about to sit down and pen a rather lengthy reply of her own. Unfortunately, Yang came barging through the door, and fate had other plans.

“Hey Weiss, what’s up?” Yang asked, her books under one arm and a protein shake in the other.

“I was just about to reply to some correspondence.” Weiss said, pointing her pen in the direction of the mail stack. “Ruby asked me to collect the mail stack, I think I saw a few letters in there for you.”

“Ah, right.” Yang said, setting down her books on her bed so that she could get her mail from the stack. “Let’s see what we’ve got then… Academy crap, my physical results, a letter from Qrow… it’s so messed up, he’s probably on a mission. Either that, or he just got back from one,” she muttered when she noticed the stains on the edges of the envelope. It looked like it might be a grass stain. “There’s one here for Ruby too… Oh sweet, my porn mag!”

“That abomination is yours?” Weiss asked, her pen nearly ripping the paper as she stabbed into it, looking up from her writing.

“Uh… Yeah?”

Weiss cringed, looking away again. “That’s disgusting…”

“Eh, different strokes, and all that…” Yang shrugged, tossing it up to her bed with her books. “Besides, it’s just something to pass the time.”

“Reading is how you pass the time.” Weiss stated derisively. “That is not reading, that is degenerate filth.”

“Okay…” Yang said awkwardly, not quite sure what to make of that comment. “Sooo… You do get that there’s actual articles in porn mags, right?”

“As if you’d be reading the articles.” Weiss snapped with a roll of her eyes. “There is only one thing something like  _ that _ could ever be used for.”

“I see where you might think that, but, some people do read the articles. It’s a publication for a reason. If I wanted straight up porno, I’d watch straight up porno.” Yang said with a shrug. “Images are great to look at, but I mean, they’re not really a substitute for the real thing. I like looking at them, but they’re not really a turn on… They’re just kind of… There… Like any other pictures in a book, you know?”

“Yang, listen to me very closely.” Weiss began, more than a little vexed, and mildly disturbed. “I do not,  _ under any possible circumstance _ , wish to discuss whatever it is you do with your personal time. Particularly where the subjects of fornication and personal proclivities are involved. Have I made myself abundantly clear?”

“The phrase you’re looking for is flicking the bean.”

That was such a crass way to put the matter that Weiss couldn’t even imagine someone thinking it, let alone saying it. “Yang…” Weiss breathed with equal amounts of trepidation and disgust. “I will end you…”

“Oh, come on…” Yang said with a roll of her eyes. “Don’t you have a thing?”

“A thing…?”

“You know, a way to take the edge off?” Yang asked her. “Everyone’s got a thing…”

“Your absurdity astounds me.” Weiss said firmly. “Even if I did amuse my own enjoyment of that nature, do you honestly think I’d air something like that to you?”

“So… you do have a thing.” Yang grinned.

“I do not have whatever it is you believe I have!” Weiss barked, her fist slamming forcefully upon the desk, the pen in her grip crying out as she squeezed it. “Now drop this insane topic of conversation before I freeze your mouth shut.”

“Alright, alright, I hear you.” Yang said with a roll of her eyes as she drained the last of the shake and tossed the cardboard container in the trash. “Chill out, I’m not going to break your brain. Before you jump to conclusions though, you should know why I’ve got it. I read magazines like this because I keep an eye on a few sports that cater to certain kinds of fans. The stats just so happen to be in that magazine, so that’s why I’ve got it.”

It was the most idiotic thing she had ever heard. “I know I am going to regret this with every fiber of my being, but what sports do you happen to follow?”

“Ladies bouts.” Yang shrugged. “Not just the professional arena circuit, either. Although, that’s way popular too. Pro champion fighters get a spread in the magazines, but that’s just during the arena season. In the off seasons they cover the huntress cup tournaments. I bet you didn’t know this, but back in her prime, Goodwitch topped the charts six years running. That was before she became a teacher.”

“She did not pose scantily clad in a pornographic magazine…” Weiss grumbled. “That’s impossible.”

“Oh yeah?” Yang said, reaching under her pillow to grab her favorite issue, and the one that had gotten her into reading the magazine to begin with. “Check this out…”

Weiss couldn’t believe it. “Oh…” She murmured as the image burned its way into her mind. “Oh my god…”

“I know.” Yang said with a grin. “Hot, am I right?”

That was not the word for it. Part of her just couldn’t reconcile the most abhorrent image on the face of the planet. Glynda Goodwitch, riding crop in hand, posing in little more than black lacy lingerie with her first place metal dangling in her cleavage. The two page article was surrounding her image in the worst way possible. She couldn’t have been older than her early twenties, and that just made everything worse.

Truly, there was really only one sensible reaction to seeing her teacher in sexually suggestive unmentionables. At least, only one reaction that Weiss could think of between the burning blush on her face and all of the questions that she simply had no answers for. Pure, unmitigated embarrassed rage filled her voice. “Get that blasted thing out of my face before I propel you out that bloody window!”

* * *

“Come on Teach, let me pick my own first year.” Coco said, leaning heavily on Glynda’s desk. “You won’t regret it if you do.”

“Somehow, I doubt that, Miss Adel.” Glynda sighed at length. With papers to grade and afternoon appointments with a few of the girls, she truly didn’t have time to deal with Coco’s bluster. However, it was her assigned task to oversee the needs of the young women in Beacon’s care. Sometimes that meant humoring the young huntresses-in-training and their occasionally poor lapses in judgement. “The mentorship assignments have already been carefully chosen. There will be no further considerations at this time.”

“I’d rethink it, if I were you. Word is that you’ve paired Ruby up with Mata.” Coco said with a shrug. “I get it, he’s mild mannered, he doesn’t step out of line. The perfect little teacher’s pet, everything you’d want in a mentor.”

“Just what are you getting at, Miss Adel?” Glynda asked, glaring at the woman that had more fashion than sense on a good day.

“Mata and I talked about our assignments.” Coco told her. “We agreed to a trade.”

“That won’t be required.” It was like this every year. Second year students were lining up ahead of time, vying for the easiest teams to oversee. She understood why it happened, but she couldn’t quite understand why the students thought they could get away with it. “You have already been assigned a partner, Miss Adel.”

“And I’m telling you that I’m not babysitting the first year you gave me.” Coco muttered, more than a little annoyed at the idea. “Trades aren’t unheard of, and I want one.”

“In your particular case Miss Adel, absolutely not.”

“Is that so?” Coco asked, a cocky smirk plastered across her face. “I think that you’re underestimating a few of your first year teams. The pipsqueak has thorns, Teach, I saw it with my own two eyes. Mata’s a good guy, but he’s a big softy. He keeps out of trouble, has his head low to the ground, you feel me…”

“As I told you before, the pairs were selected carefully.” Glynda said, an edge of sternness touching her otherwise relaxed expression. “It wasn’t something that we decided overnight, there was plenty of deliberation involved.”

“Carefully decided for who? The teams, or for you?” Coco asked then. “Ruby’s a good kid, but her team has problems. You’re not going to get anywhere sticking her with Mata.”

At this Glynda pulled off her glasses, mildly shocked. “You truly want to look after Miss Rose?” Glynda couldn’t believe it even if she wanted to. Coco had never been one to put more effort than she needed to in anything. She might have been top of her class, but she was also lazy and flippant about her responsibilities when she wanted to be. “You do realize that we chose Mata because he would take the time with her that’s required. He would want to see that her team does well. Team RWBY, and the oversight of Miss Rose won’t be a small undertaking.”

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it.” Coco said with a roll of her eyes. “Look, I’ll level with you. I know that team, because I know what I’m dealing with. I’ve known Schnee since she was in diapers. Yang’s a Signal combat brat that’s been wandering around where she doesn’t belong. I never had to deal with her first hand, but I know the shit she can pull. People talk, you know.”

“Mata’s a good influence.” Glynda said after a moment to consider that. It might be factual, but, there were reasons why she had chosen Mata to oversee the wayward team RWBY. “That was specifically why he was selected.”

“Mata’s a great influence, but he doesn’t have the balls to deal with that kind of crap. He’s a star student, but he’s a huge pacifist too.” Coco told her. “After watching Ruby in the Emerald Forest I can tell you straight up, you stick Mata in charge of that team and my first year rampages will look tame by comparison.”

“Those rampages were strictly the reasons we didn’t want you anywhere near them.” Glynda replied heatedly. “Mind you, your team caused the most property damage last year by far. If I recall correctly, you were the one to blame for most, if not all of it.”

“I looked after my own.” Coco shrugged. “No regrets there.”

“To my greatest dismay, I know.”

“Then know this too, you’re going to have it way worse this time around.”

“I highly doubt it could be worse.”

“Think again, Teach.”

“What reason would I have to believe such a claim?” Glynda asked her then. “Bold as it is, even coming from you, I doubt that it is even possible.”

“You’ve got another Winchester in Beacon. Cardin’s just like his damn brother was last year.” Coco told her, not truly minding the scowl that caused. “Now, if you think I was bad, you let that clown get ahold of Ruby and do more than mildly annoy her. You’ll have police reports stacked up on your desk as fast as Yang can make them. She’s not going to follow the chain of command for very long if he pisses her off.”

“Are you implying that Miss Rose cannot handle her own team?”

“I’m implying you all screwed the pooch on this one. When you shoved those two out on the same initiation grounds without separating them into different squads, you made a time bomb waiting to explode.” Coco shot back. “Yang’s no joke when she’s pissed, and I’ve heard the rumors. Don’t think I haven’t. That chick has weaponized aura, right? That’s what’s been going around, and you still want to stick that lot with Mata? I want what you’re smoking, it must be pretty damn good to be that delusional.”

“You’re asking for detention, Miss Adel.”

“Alright, have it your way.” Coco shrugged dismissively. “The offer stays on the table, though. Just think about it.”

* * *

Glynda didn’t want to admit it, but she found herself sifting through the mentorships one final time. Everything seemed to be in order, at least on the surface. She wanted to believe that everything was going as planned. Coco Adel was to be teamed with the quiet and mild mannered Jaune Arc, and Mata with Ruby. She had been hoping that matching the students the way she had would show positive results. Now, she wasn’t so sure.

She rubbed at her eyes tiredly as she locked the files away inside her desk and turned off the light for the night.

There was only one way to know for sure if her theory was the correct one. She needed to confer with the one professor in the school that Coco seemed to listen to without a single complaint. She found the stout man exactly where she expected him to be. Still at his desk grading papers and listening to the oldies station on the radio. He sang out of tune to the smooth jazz song before she managed to pull his attention away from his idle musings.

While she expected him to placate her worries, Peter surprised her. Suggesting that she take up Coco’s proposition to mentor the youngest student in the school.

“Honestly?” Port murmured, toying with the thought in the same way he did anything in life. For a while he merely fixated on the concept to great length before coming to a decision. “It might not be a bad idea to allow Coco to have her way.”

“You can’t be serious.” Glynda sighed, feeling as though she was the only sane faculty member left in the school.

“Oh, but I am serious, Glynda,” he said quite happily. “Why, it might be just the thing Coco needs to keep her occupied. Yes, in fact I think this is precisely just the thing she needs.”

“I’m afraid to ask how you came to that conclusion.” Glynda told him as she leaned idly on his desk. He had been grading a paper that could only come from Yang, given the singe marks at the edges of the paper. As though it had angered her deeply enough to react while writing the several page report. “I still cannot believe you have such a close relationship with Miss Adel.”

“I don’t see the harm in it,” he told the woman. “It’s hardly the improper sort…”

“Don’t think I don’t know about your little adventures into the wilds without paperwork. I’d ask what it is you do out there, but the sudden lack of Grimm in those areas are proof enough. It would be commendable if you bothered to actually file the requisite forms.”

“I’m a huntsman, not a paper-pusher.”

“Are you implying that I am?”

“If the shoe fits,” he grumbled offhandedly.

“There are rules Peter, they should be followed.”

“Remind me to go back in time and tell that to you twenty years ago.” Professor Port grumbled thoughtfully. “I seem to remember your antics as a student just fine. If I recall correctly, and I believe that I do, on one incredibly cold winter morning you practically deconstructed half of the dormitory you were housed in. You haven’t forgotten that little mess, now have you?”

“As you said, I was a student.” Glynda told him, not wishing to think of that memory. “Just as Miss Adel is a student and should be instructed accordingly. You shouldn’t be encouraging her irreprehensible behavior.”

“Now you listen here, Coco has a long and storied family history, thank you very much.” Peter said dryly. “Her grandfather was my own instructor many years ago. Her father and I journeyed far in the sands of Vacuo during my youth. I think I’m entitled to my fondness given that rich and vast history. As I said, there’s nothing improper about it. It’s merely a passing of the torch, so to speak.”

“It is still questionable, Peter.” Glynda replied. “Passing of the torch or not, I feel inclined to warn you that you might not want to grow so attached to your students. It lacks professionalism.”

“I am too old to give a damn about you young faculty and institutional propriety.” Port scoffed, waving his hand in the air lazily as if to shoo the matter aside entirely. “When I was a lad, schools like these were a dream made only for the wealthy. Most of us could not afford such a luxury. We lived alongside our tutors, sharing tents and breaking bread. Many in the villages still conduct their training in the same way.”

“Times have changed…”

“So they have,” he said earnestly. “A true huntress does not. I fully realize that my ways are old fashioned, but I wouldn’t be here if they weren’t effective. I may be a washed up old fart, rung out to dry one too many times. I can agree to that, but one day you will sit in my position. Then you will understand that these papers mean nothing without the spirit it takes to keep up with these young rascals. Now then, if you’re done with the overprotective formalities perhaps we could discuss the true nature of your visit.”

“I just don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Hmm, it might not be. Perhaps there is no correct solution.” Peter said to her mildly. “I know you worry for all of the students, but past ties aside, I’ve spent a lot of time with that young woman and her team over the summer break. One thing I can tell you is that Coco Adel works hard for the things she wants.”

“She can also be very flighty.”

“Only when it comes down to matters of frivolity.”

“The issue is that she’s flighty at all.” Glynda told him, fully realizing that he couldn’t bring himself to care about those finer details. He never did. “Exemplary students aren’t just those that keep high marks. They’re the ones that show a certain level of decorum too. Miss Adel lacks that quality, and that’s a fact you can’t deny.”

“True, I wouldn’t attempt to claim that she’s placid or mild mannered. However I believe that she would take the oversight of a younger team with due respect,” he said, reclining back upon his chair. “It’s not uncommon for second year students to take an interest in a certain team. Accommodating those whims as best as we can has shown positive results more times than not.”

“While I’d generally agree with you, most of the students that we accommodate have a prior history with the team in question. Older family members taking on younger ones. Prominent families with the political ties that are paramount to world peace. At the very least, they seek out students of similar ideology or fighting style. Miss Adel holds no such ties to Miss Rose. It’s very strange Peter.”

“I’ve seen odder things in my time.”

“So have I, but it usually doesn’t end well.”

“If it were me, I would allow it. I’ve found that a little bit of trust goes a long way, especially where Coco is concerned. She’s full of life and indiscretion, as so many students are. That being said, you cannot deny that her team functions well. Her grades remain high too. I don’t think it wise to overlook the simple request based on mere skepticism.” Peter said with a soft shrug, largely unperturbed as he fished around in the box on the corner of his desk. Finding himself a cigar, he slipped it from the wrapping. “That is all I can say on the matter. Ultimately, the final decision isn’t mine to make. You have my professional opinion, you can make of it what you will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 4/16/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	29. Chapter 29

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXIX**

With the Vytal Festival only a few months away and formal announcements being made in every combat class, a slow buzz was building among the students at the academy. Practice rooms were logged to their fullest as teams fought to secure a practice location. Others tried to get clearance to go into the woods to hone their skills. Ruby and Jaune shared a cringe as they looked at the brawl in front of the training room sign-up sheets.

“Maybe we should ask for permission to train in the forest.” Ruby suggested.

“All of the older students are fighting for those areas. We’ll never stand a chance.” Jaune told her. The fight going on in front of them looked like it was impossible to deal with. He looked over to the side where Professor Port and Professor Oobleck were watching to be sure that it didn’t get out of hand. “Oh man, we’re never going to get our names on that list.”

“Sure we will.” Ruby told him with a smirk. “We’re just going to have to fight our way through. Come on, let’s go.”

Ruby very nearly got trampled in the mob as she tried to fight her way to the sign-up sheets for one of the rooms. Trying to drag Jaune with her through the mass of bodies, she barely made it out of the scuffle without being pulled into the brawl. She very nearly grabbed hold of the pen when she was yanked back into the fighting, Jaune tumbling into the mass along with her.

“Alright assholes, move out of the way before you get shot.” Coco yelled over the commotion, firing a small round of warning shots into the ceiling as everything stopped. Fists were frozen in mid-air as everyone looked over to the gun toting woman. Her heels clicked loudly as she stepped forward. “I said move!” She ordered as the group scrambled to get out of the way. “Not you, pipsqueak,” she said, grabbing Ruby by the cloak before she could speed off into a blur of petals. “Come sign this thing before those idiots start rioting again…”

Ruby blinked owlishly at her, dumbfounded by the order. “Really?”

“Did I stutter?” Coco asked her. “Go on, get your name up there, Ruby. You too, Jaune. Hurry up.” Coco told them as she wrote her own name in cursive on the sheet and holding the pen out for Ruby to take. She no sooner watched as Ruby nervously signed her name before dragging her out of the way. “Alright, we’re done here. You can fight over the rest.” Coco told them, putting her gun away and watching as the brawl continued as though it hadn’t even stopped.

Jaune barely made it out of the way before becoming a glorified throw rug.

“Jaune!” Ruby called after him as Coco held her back.

“Don’t get in that mess, I’ll get him,” she said stepping into the fray as the fighting parted like water to make way for her. She grabbed the blonde boy, dragging him to his feet and dragging him out of the fray. “You two really need to learn when to throw your weight around,” she told them, pulling a cigarette and a match from the metal case she kept in one of her shirt sleeves. “You’re team leaders, start acting like it. You can throw down if you want.”

“Throw down…?” Ruby asked.

“Pick a fight.” Coco said with a shrug as she struck the match and lit her cigarette. “You kids got to learn that no one will get out of your way around here without a little persuasion. They’re in it to win it, if you want to stand a chance, you need to fight for it.”

Jaune didn’t look convinced. “Won’t we get into trouble?”

“Does it look like we’re going to get into trouble?” Coco asked, pointing her thumb over her shoulder where the two professors were murmuring amongst themselves. “It’s a supervised fight, no semblances, dust, or breaking the school to rubble. Everything else is fair game. Most of them don’t have the balls to pull out their weapons because they don’t want detention if they really fuck things up. Besides that, picking a fight with a team leader is a really good way of getting your ass handed to you by the older leaders…”

“But those are Beacon’s rules.” Ruby said.

“Those are the rules because there’s got to be something in place in case it happens.” Coco told her. “But rules and respect are different things. There’s an unspoken code of honor around here. Smart people don’t mess with that honor. Team leaders lay down the law, teams follow that law. If they mess with that, they’ll find out really quickly that they’re in deep shit.”

“But...” Jaune stammered. “Why…?”

“Because upperclassmen don’t have time for that kind of crap.” Coco told him. “You’re going to be saddled with a mentor soon enough. When you are, you’ll understand.”

* * *

Nora had a bad habit about recounting her dreams during mealtime. Was it the fifth recurring dream, or the sixth? Jaune didn’t know and to be honest he couldn’t even keep them in order anymore. He merely poked at his meal as Nora droned on. Ren corrected her at every turn, meanwhile the rest of the table relaxed during their afternoon meal. Yang was enthralled with Nora’s tall tale. Ruby and Pyrrha listened with just the right amount of interest to seem polite.

Meanwhile, Blake was more than happy to stick her nose in a book and ignore the flight of fancy. Weiss was the same, idly filing her nails, taking care of any imperfections sustained by training that day. It was her usual routine, but it seemed even more diligent than usual as she primly inspected every tiny detail. Ruby and Pyrrha shared a glance, both of them turning their attention to Jaune just long enough to have an unspoken conversation about their shared concern over his saddened state. Choosing to drop the matter, they returned to the story at hand.

Nora, none the wiser, happily prattled on until the cobbled together retelling of her dream was finished. An uncomfortable silence settled over the table before Pyrrha couldn’t take any more of it.

“Jaune, are you alright?” She asked, wondering if he was alright.

“Huh?” He asked looking up from his untouched meal.

“Pyrrha asked if you were alright.” Nora said, looking at Jaune with a skeptical little frown. Wagging a slice of strawberry around, she popped it into her mouth, talking with her mouth full. “Now I feel bad. I should have asked that too.”

“There’s no reason to feel bad, Nora.” Jaune said with a little shrug.

“You were zoning out.” Ren pointed out mildly.

“Plus, you still didn’t answer Pyrrha’s question.” Nora told him.

“Oh, yeah I’m fine,” he said, offering a weak smile as he always did. “I’m just thinking.”

Pyrrha didn’t believe that for a second. “You know, you could think out loud a little if you wanted. Maybe we can be of some help.”

“There’s not really a problem, though.” Jaune said to her. “It’s just… team leader stuff, I guess.”

“Are you sure?” Ruby was next to address the situation, reaching far out of her comfort zone. “You seem like something might be bothering you.”

Once again, he assured them that he was alright. Then he went back to picking at his food. Obviously he was more troubled than he wanted to admit.

They all knew what the problem was. It was the same problem that had been plaguing the halls of Beacon Academy for weeks now. Jaune denied it, trying to put on a brave face. It didn’t change the fact that Cardin Winchester was a bully that made himself known, and his antics had only gotten worse. Jaune had been stuffed into lockers, had his weapon tampered with, and two sets of books damaged simply because Cardin found Jaune to be an easy target.

Then again, Jaune’s no fighting policy likely had something to do with it. Pyrrha sighed at length. A few arena matches, and Cardin would learn his lesson, she was sure. Trying to get Jaune to understand that just wasn’t working. Feeling defeated, her eyes wandered. Most of the table followed her gaze to a nearby group of students at a different table.

Cardin Winchester had found himself another victim. This time, he was harassing one of the second year students. No one really knew what to say at first, watching as the man and his team tormented her. He went so far as tugging at Velvet’s ears just to prove that they were real. The rabbit Faunus made a hasty retreat, and she wasn’t the only one.

Jaune made a quick escape from the lunch room, too. With the rest of his team still congregated at the table, a new conversation began taking place. This time, it was one about Faunus.

“It must be hard to be a Faunus.” Yang had said in passing. The single observation had caused the idle banter between Yang, Pyrrha, and Nora in the first place. Ren nodded along silently but didn’t speak to the problem like the other three did.

Blake almost wanted to slap Yang for the idle comment, but she kept her expression as neutral as possible. Yang didn’t mean anything bad by saying it. At least, Blake would give her the benefit of the doubt.

“Look, all I’m saying is Faunus don’t get to be treated like crap just because they’re Faunus.” Yang complained.

“I completely agree with you, but sadly it’s the same with all minorities.” Pyrrha replied simply. “Bigotry is everywhere if you look for it. You have to rise above it. The problem is that some Faunus just don’t see it that way. Others use turmoil to achieve their means.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t do anybody any good.” Nora added into the conversation. “I think Faunus should have full rights in all of the kingdoms, but they shouldn’t hurt people to get them.”

“Look, the fighting sucks, but some people are just stupid. Faunus wouldn’t need to be forceful if people stopped being dickheads.” Yang bit out. “Not that I agree with the stuff they get into. I’m just saying, I kind of get it.”

“In recent years the White Fang have ruined their own cause. They’ve set the Faunus movement back decades with violent outbursts.” Pyrrha said with a shake of her head. “In order to get what they want, they must cease the brutality. The kingdoms will never give them respect with the way they continue to act. The organization should endeavor to act as an example of forward thinking intellectuals. Resorting to violence only continues to perpetuate the animalistic stereotype that Faunus are said to have.”

“Yeah, well what else are they supposed to do?” Yang asked her. “I’m not saying I want them to make all of this trouble. I just feel bad for them. I don’t want them to just sit there and take all of the crap people throw at them. It just isn’t right.”

Blake sighed to herself inwardly. While it might have been true to some degree, it also wasn’t. It wasn’t just about being a Faunus. It was all of the baggage that came with that, even from those with the best of intentions. It wasn’t just the bigoted idiots that made it hard, it was the constant offerings of pity too. Words like Yang’s dredged up uncomfortable feelings, as though Faunus needed that pity. That they couldn’t just be people, struggling as all people did in their own ways. That somehow, a Faunus would always need humans to feel bad for them, strictly because they were Faunus.

It just didn’t sit well with her.

There was such a thing, after all, as benevolent racism. Some humans were like that, too, after all. Many held the idea that Faunus needed humans to pity them. That Faunus couldn’t stand on their own two feet. Most people had no idea that such a thing as benevolent racism existed. However just like its close cousins benevolent sexism in society and benevolent paternalism in the medical field, it could be just as toxic a mindset.

Blake wanted to comment that it must be hard being a human too, but doing that would either oust her or make her look like the bigots she despised. The conversation topic forced Blake to bite her lip and bring her book back to her nose once more.

Looking over to her side, Weiss seemed to be equally invested in ignoring the conversation. Her blue eyes still completely fixated on her nails, refusing to pay any mind to the uncomfortable topic going on around her.

\--

After her meal, Ruby headed to the courtyard with a precious letter in hand. She had been overjoyed when the incoming mail had included a letter from her Signal friends. Several of them writing back from the combat academy. It was important to keep in touch, she couldn’t help but feel a little excited about hearing from them. A small smile pulled at her lips as she read the letter, each passing sentence making her smile fall. Finally all that remained was a placid thousand yard stare as she gazed blankly at the paper.

A slow divide was forming between them. That was happening more and more now. As a Beacon student, her studies were different than her friends. In fact, the entire world seemed different. While they all talked about the newest dust experiments they were learning about, Ruby could only sigh as she realized she had learned all of that too, but only because Weiss had helped her to learn it.

It wasn’t just new dust experiments either. It was everything, including shopping trips to Vale and talk of first kisses.

Ruby cleared her throat as she realized that her life had never been anything like that. The divide had always been a little noticeable, of course. She was never the same as her friends. She had never dated before. She hadn’t been popular. She didn’t like large groups of people. For a long time, she wasn’t even good in any of her classes. Her uncle had remedied the last problem, but the others had always remained. It had never weighed down as heavily on her before as it did right now. She didn’t quite belong anywhere the way she wanted to.

Not Beacon, and not Signal either. She was still trying to find her place in the world, but that had never come easy to her.

“Uh, oh…” Yang drawled out. “That’s the ‘milk’s gone bad’ look. What happened sis, bad news?”

“No.” Ruby said slowly. “It’s not anything like that.”

“Yoink.” Yang plucked the paper from Ruby’s fingers giving it a gloss over, raising an eyebrow when Ruby hadn’t tried to stop her. She cleared her throat as she sat down and looked at the letter more carefully. “I don’t see anything in here that’s so bad. What’s the matter?”

“It’s just not the way I expected it to be.” Ruby told her, taking the letter back and folding it up. “I knew things would change when I came here, but…” Ruby didn’t have any words for it. Everything that came to mind sounded petty. The things that didn’t feel childish to say felt awkward to admit. “I just didn’t think that it would be so hard to let things go…”

“Well, it’s not like all of my buddies ended up at Beacon, either. I had to say goodbye to some of them too.” Yang told her, trying to be honest. “Yeah, it sucks, but it’s not like you can keep everyone you meet around forever. Distance just sort of happens I guess…”

“The letters are coming less and less now.” Ruby murmured sadly. “Every time they do, they’re talking about relationships. They ask how it is here, and stuff like that. When I try to explain it, they just don’t get it. Honestly, it’s like we’re a whole world away from each other.”

“That’s because you are.” Yang said, shrugged mildly as she leaned back to gaze idly at the passing clouds in the sky. “When was the last time you got to really hang out with any of them?”

“I haven’t seen them since I got here.” Ruby told her. “I haven’t had the chance. They think I’m blowing them off when I say I’ve got so much homework to do. My remedial classes are in the evening, so I can’t just go do what I want. They wanted to go to the movies a few times, but I can’t make the late night shows in Vale because the airship back to Beacon stops flying earlier than that. They don’t get it. I want to go, but I can’t.”

“See, and this is why Dad was a little freaked out about you coming to Beacon.” Yang said slowly, not quite sure what to make of it all. On the one hand this sort of thing was inevitable. On the other, Ruby had never made enough friends to know what having a slow falling out was like. It wasn’t malicious, but it was still happening. “Ruby, this place it’s… just not for kids…”

“Everyone keeps saying that.”

“It’s true though.” Yang sighed, rubbing her hands together. She tried to find a way to ease the blow, knowing that there was just no good way to do it. “You’re leaving your childhood behind faster than you should be, and as for them? They’re right where they belong, and you should be there too. You got lucky, and you jumped ahead. You’re probably going to have to get used to the fact that this is the consequence of that.”

“I wasn’t going to just say no to the headmaster. That would have been crazy. I can’t even believe he let me join. Sometimes I go to sleep afraid that this is just going to be a dream when I wake up.” Ruby said, clinging to the idea of being a huntress like a lifeline. It was everything she wanted for her future, and when the chance had been presented to her she reached for it. She wanted to be a huntress more than anything. “I’ve always wanted to come to Beacon, you know that.”

“But, you could have waited.” Yang said. “Right now we’re at a place in our lives where age really matters. A couple of years in either direction can make it hard to relate to people. I’ve lost contact with a lot of my friends that way.”

“But why?”

“Because that’s life, and I was a stupid kid.” Yang told her. “Trust me, it feels like you’re in different worlds because you are in different worlds. I’ve been through this before. When my older friends would graduate from Signal, they’d go on with their lives. I thought they were blowing me off too back then. Now I know for a fact that they were on a whole different level.”

At this, Ruby regarded her sister with a mix of sadness and pity. “You never acted like it bothered you…”

“There were a lot of things we couldn’t talk about, Ruby…” Yang said softly. “You’re my little sister, you had your own problems. I wasn’t going to toss all of my stuff onto you too.”

“How did you handle it?”

“At the time, it pissed me off. Now I know better.” Yang said after a moment to really think about it. “Looking back, it was okay that they left me behind. They were just living a new stage in their lives that I wasn’t ready for. Now, we’re in that stage in our lives, too. We’ve moved on. The friendships we used to have will keep changing, and that’s okay.”

“I didn’t think it would be this bad…”

“Because you were just a Signal kid too, and now you’re not. You have way more responsibility than your friends. They don’t get it because right now, they don’t  _ have _ to get it. They’re not in Beacon, we are. We’re the ones that have to step it up, not them. They can just be kids for a little while longer. They have that luxury because the world doesn’t expect so much from them. As for you and me? We need to act more like adults. Dad’s not around to babysit us, so doing what we have to is our responsibility.”

“I don’t see why that’s such a big deal though…”

“It's a major thing when you stop and think about it. Most of us were upperclassmen at our academies. Now, we’re the newbies all over again. I know it’s not fair on you, but this is life. Right now, the divide is just too big, and you can’t stretch in both directions. You’re going to need to pick one.”

“I already picked.” Ruby said. “I’m here, aren’t I? I’m not giving this up, Yang.”

“Then take it from me, stop worrying about the Signal brats Ruby.” Yang sighed, it was a little cruel to say that. It didn’t make the matter any less true. “I know it sucks to say that. It’s not what you want to hear. It’s true though. If any of them make it into Beacon one day, they’re going to be hauling ass just as much as we are right now. We’re going to be their upperclassmen. When that happens, the divide between you guys won’t be so huge anymore. At least, I don’t think it will.”

“What if it is?” Ruby asked her. “What if it never stops and I just get further away from them?”

“Then, I guess that’s the life you picked.” Yang said with a shrug. “You’re going to have to make peace with that. Maybe one day when we’re all older and out of school, maybe then you’ll meet up with them from time to time. You guys can talk about old times and then it won’t matter what school you went to or what jobs you have. Maybe then you can just be old friends hanging out.”

* * *

Yang wished she could put the matter out of her head, but it was hard not to worry about Ruby at least a little. She had meant what she said. Ruby wasn’t the only one trying to regain a reasonable balance in her life. Ruby wore the burden of it more openly. That was something Yang wouldn’t consider even doing. Beacon was a game changer in more ways than one.

It wasn’t going to be an easy ride, and she had made her peace with it. Sacrifices had to be made, and there was no avoiding that. She couldn’t, even if she wanted to.

Yang knew she had put a few personal interests off to the side too. She didn’t have time for them. Only one of her fixations truly bothered her, and even setting that aside was justified. She just didn’t have the time to search for her mother right now. That was annoying, but she had made a promise to herself. Her search for Raven wouldn’t get in the way of living her life to the fullest.

In order to live the way she wanted, she needed to become a huntress. It was that simple and that non-negotiable. She had put her search mostly on the back burner, and that’s just the way things were. It wasn’t easy, and it weighed on her, but there was nothing she could do about it.

What she didn’t expect to give up were the little things. Those had been harder to give up. Sleeping-in came to mind as one such luxury. She just didn’t have time to be perpetually lazy. Relaxation came at a premium. Another loss came in the form of gigantic amounts of junk food. Gone were the days of eating gummy bears by the bagful, or inhaling bags of potato chips simply because she felt like it. She had regulations to conform to, and that was just the way it was for a combat scholarship.

She had even given up dating…

In Signal she used to date often enough, nothing serious, but certainly enough to have a good time. Then again, in Signal that was all she ever had. Time, and plenty of it. She could go out on dates, search for her mother, laze around the house on weekends, and still have plenty of time to burn. Her chores were never a burden, and school work wasn’t that difficult. She had been banking on her skill in combat from the start, taking solid B’s and C’s in her other classes without much concern over the matter.

Be it her fighting prowess or her sex appeal, it was her body people wanted, not her mind.

She couldn’t help feel a little pent up though. Restless, and a little bored. Thankfully, team JNPR made good friends, but it was nothing like having that special someone to confide in. With no one else to turn to, she sought out her friends from across the hall.

“So after I read the letter, I talked with Ruby a little bit. She ended up going back to the dorm room after that.” Yang said as the small study group gathered at the table. Together they made a poor attempt at finishing their homework. Their minds just weren’t in it. “I don’t think anything I said was very helpful.”

“All you can do is try your best, that’s all anyone can do.” Nora replied with a little frown as she doodled on her Grimm studies homework. Plenty of little sloths covering the edges and corners of the page. “Hey, do you think she’ll write them back?”

“No idea.” Yang said. “To be honest, I don’t know what way would be better for her. I’m not sure if she should just cut ties completely, or not. I’m worried that if she keeps writing those letters like she has been doing, she’ll just end up missing them even more.”

“I wish I could say that things would work out both ways for her, but I’ve never known that to happen for any length of time.” Pyrrha added, her own homework looking far more finished than the others. She only briefly looked up from the book to regard Yang passively. “Then again, my situation was far more complex socially due to my sponsorships. The circumstances just weren’t the same for me, so I can’t say what it might be like for her. She may be able to find a way to stay close to them.”

“Not the same way, though. See, that’s what I think is really getting to her.” Yang told them. “They’re basically just pen-pals now. She can’t just go and do whatever she wants after class. Combat academies are way less strict about that sort of thing.”

“I wouldn’t know anything about that.” Nora said, shrugging aimlessly as she added another little sloth to her paper. “Ren and I were trained by following huntsmen around. They frequented the villages and felt bad for us, I guess. We never had a class of kids to learn with, but it would suck to have to leave your friends behind.”

“It doesn’t just suck, Nora. It totally swallows too.” Yang bit out before crumpling up her essay to be rid of it. Her opening statements just weren’t up to her usual standard. It would be better to start from scratch. “I just wish it wasn’t so damn hard for her.”

“Yeah, me too.” Nora murmured. “Thankfully, Ren and I never really had to do that.”

“We had other things to give up, Nora.” Ren said mildly. “I’m sure everyone gave up something in order to come to Beacon. It probably wasn’t easy for a lot of people, but we’re here to attain our goals. That’s what matters. I’m sure your sister feels the same way, Yang.”

“Yeah.” Yang grumbled. “Maybe, but it still sucks though.”

“It seems like we both have leaders that are down in the dumps.” Nora sighed sadly.

* * *

Jaune didn’t want to be a burden. He wanted to be the kind of guy his family could really depend on. He was told stories about his family for as long as he could remember. He would sit around the fire with his sisters, and the elderly in his family would talk about everything and nothing. Adventures were woven between tall tales and family life. Ever since he could remember, he idolized those stories. He would stay up late into the night until his mother shooed him off to bed.

He wanted to be like them. He would dream of that, only to wake up and play around with a beaten down wooden sword.

When he told his father he wanted to be a huntsman, the man had chuckled deeply and patted him on the head.  _ “Of course you do.”  _ He’d said.  _ “It’s in the blood.” _

His father wasn’t home to pass on the trade. The women of the family were left raising him and his siblings, while the men went off to fight. Taking missions and seeing the world, they lived the life Jaune had always wanted. They would send letters, and return home whenever they could. His grandfather died when Jaune was young, and his father continued the family trade to keep food on the table.

He never once took Jaune on his adventures. He said it was too dangerous for a small boy. Jaune had always thought that one day the man would come back for him. That he would say the day had come, tell him to pack his things, and leave for training. That day never came. The man was still on his adventures, but he refused to take Jaune with him.

_ “Jaune, you’re no huntsman.” _ The man had told him the day he turned seventeen.  _ “Believe it or not, it’s better that way.” _

_ “Don’t say that, Dad.” _

_“Listen, Jaune… Some dreams are better left as just that. Sometimes they’re not worth it.”_ His father had told him on another late night, sitting by the fire. “ _You_ _need to have a certain kind of stomach for the work that I do. It’s a bloody job, thankless, and you’ve got to leave the things that really matter behind. It’s more costly than you can even imagine. I didn’t even get to see my only son grow up. I didn’t get to be the daddy I wanted to be for my kids. I wasn’t here to have those little moments, and that’s my biggest regret.”_

_ “Why didn’t you quit?” _

_ “Hunting Grimm is all I know. I never went to an academy, so it’s all I’m qualified to do. My license is limited, I’m not like a huntsman from an accredited academy. I couldn’t quit it, I couldn’t provide for you any other way. Telling those damn stories was the only way I could justify walking out on you kids all the time.” _

_ “I still want to be a huntsman.” _

_ “You’re growing into a man now. It’s not my business to tell you what you can and can’t do. I won’t stop you. I won’t help you either. I won’t put any of my kids in front of a Grimm. I won’t ask you to go to a village only to see dead bodies all over the ground. I’m not doing that, son. I love you too much to do that to you.” _

_ “If you won’t train me, what do I do?” _

_ “If you want to live this life, don’t just talk about it. Go to school, get all your training, and get an official license. That way you’ll have a back-up plan. Academy licenses are good for all sorts of things, not just hunting Grimm. Right now, being a huntsman is the only thing in your head. One day, that may change. Jaune, don’t be like me. I’m no hero.” _

_ “Yeah, you are Dad. Don’t put yourself down like that.” _

_ “No, you got it all backward. I’m just another shitty dude trying to make ends meet. That’s it, that’s all I’m ever going to be. If I could raise you to have it better than me, it’s all worth it. To me, that’s all that matters. I’m a granddad now, and once you leave the house my old sword and shield are hanging on the wall for good. My job will be done, and I can just enjoy life for all that it is. That’s the day I live for, son.” _

Despite all of that Jaune didn’t let go of his dream. He still wanted to be a huntsman after that night. He took matters into his own hands. He applied for Beacon in an underhanded way. He got in, but the dream was starting to sour. It wasn’t anything like he wanted, but leaving it behind wasn’t an option either. He wouldn’t do that, not until he held his license in his hand just to prove he could.

* * *

Yang couldn’t fix all of Ruby’s problems, but she could spend a little time with her sibling. She hoped it would help keep Ruby’s mind off of a few things. Bailing out on her friends she joined her team in the room for a relaxing night in. For a while, the room was quiet as Blake took to her reading, Weiss had her nose pressed to her scroll, and the sisters took to their assorted interests. It began with a game of crazy eights, and drifted to checkers. The girls locked in a heated competition that truly had only one reasonable outcome given Ruby’s restless nature.

“And that’s the game.” Yang said, slapping her checker piece down on the board and grinning across the table to her sister. “That’s two for two, my lead.”

“Okay, fine then. Best three out of five.” Ruby told her, grabbing her pieces that had scattered to the side.

Yang wasn’t particularly interested in playing the game again as she stretched with a long yawn. “We could, but you know I’ll just keep winning. How many times do you want me to kick your butt before you realize I’m the checker master?” Yang asked, her eyebrow raised as she tossed a grape into the air and caught it with her mouth.

“You are not. That title doesn’t belong to you.” Ruby told her. “You still haven’t beat Dad once…”

“Neither have you…” Yang said, chomping down on another grape. “Face it Ruby, it’s just not your game.”

“Should we break out the Scrabble?” Ruby asked with a raised eyebrow and a grin. “I have a chance at that.”

“Depends…” Yang said slowly, thinking the suggestion over. “Are puns fair game?”

“Nope.” Ruby told her. “You have to play fair and square. No puns or game breaking words.”

“Ruin the fun why don’t you…” Yang said stretching out lazily, her back popping pleasantly in several places. “We could set up the scrolls and play a fighting game?”

“Play that racket in here and I’ll skewer the both of you.” Weiss groused, nose pressed to her scroll in an attempt to read the news. “If you want to do that, go to the common room. Some of us are trying to read.”

“Blake doesn’t care if we play in here.” Yang said, looking over her shoulder. “You don’t, right Blake?”

The amber eyed woman looked up from her book. She had been curled up on her bed. Happily turning pages and silently keeping to herself. “Not particularly.”

“Well I mind, thank you for asking.” Weiss retorted. “I’m trying to concentrate.”

“Why? What are you doing that’s so freakin’ important?” Yang asked flippantly. “You’ve been on that damn thing since we got back to the room.”

“I need to stay current on political events.” Weiss told her. “Council elections are coming up in Atlas, and I need to know the details.”

“Right…” Yang deadpanned. “Sounds like a whole lot of fun.”

“It isn’t supposed to be fun, it’s informative.” Weiss turned her scroll to face Yang. A bunch of names that the blond woman didn’t recognize littered the screen. “It’s imperative that I memorize all of the running candidates and their suggested policies.”

“That’s way too many names.” Yang bulked.

“Yeah, how do you memorize all of that?” Ruby asked her.

“Diligently.” Weiss said as she reclined back with her scroll once more. “My family often has dealings with the council. It would reflect poorly upon my family if I neglected to know this information. If I were to cross paths with someone of high society, the topic might come up.”

“For the love of god, we don’t ever get time off. We finally catch a break, and here you are totally wasting it.” Yang said with a long roll of her eyes. “Put that stupid thing away and do something you actually like doing.”

“Don’t get too invested in anything else. We have detention in less than an hour.” Weiss said, not even needing to look at the time to know that cleaning duty was fast approaching. “I assure you, I fully intend to relax afterwards.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Yang complained. “I am so sick of dusting lights and climbing ladders up and down every hall. Ruby, do something about this stupid detention already…”

“Would you rather scrub toilets and mop floors?” Blake asked her. “That can be arranged. I’d be happy to clean the lights for a change.”

Yang cringed at that idea. “Uh, yeah how about a hell no on that one.”

Ruby could only shake her head a little at Yang’s disgusted outburst. She understood it, but she wasn’t going to budge, not even an inch. “Maybe next time you’ll think twice about letting our teammates get into a fight.” Ruby said with a little shrug. “You know I wouldn’t make you do it if you didn’t really deserve it.”

“And on that note, I’m going to go grab something from the vending machines before we’re put to work. I’ll probably get some fresh air while I’m at it.” Yang said. “Catch you guys in detention.”

Ruby looked down at the checkers, frowning at it sadly. Then she looked up to her partner. “Weiss?”

“What now?”

“Well, I was thinking… You know… We’ve never really played a game together before. I was thinking it might be a good way to spend time together.”

Weiss looked up dryly. “I don’t play checkers, Ruby.”

“What do you play?” Ruby asked innocently.

“Probably rich people games.” Blake snarkily added, turning a page in her book. “Croquet comes to mind…”

“You hush before I teach you a thing or two about the games I play.” Closing her scroll she forced herself out of bed, rummaging around in one of her drawers for a deck of playing cards. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind, a lesson might indeed be in order. Now close that book of yours and sit at the table.”

“Since when did you gain the authority to conscript me into playing games?” Blake asked her, amber eyes glaring daggers over her book.

“Since the moment you butted into my conversation with Ruby. If you don’t wish to be included, next time stay out of things that don’t include you. For now, come here and sit down.” Weiss ordered with a roll of her eyes.

“Fine.” Blake said, releasing a long suffering sigh. It wasn’t worth it to fight over the matter.

Once Blake was settled, Weiss began to shuffle the cards with a competitive smirk on her face. “Alright ladies, let’s make this quick. The name of the game is Old Maid. I presume you know how to play. Do try to present a bit of a challenge, I’d hate to wipe the floor with you too soon…”  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 4/23/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I’m going to try an experiment, tell me if you like it. Every 10 chapters I’m going to give you a brief glance at the topics going forward for that segment of fan fiction. This is just a test, if you like it let me know. With that said, here’s what you can expect from chapters 30-40.
> 
> Chapters 30-40 will be a densely packed set of chapters as I try to do the Jauncie Arc its due justice. I’ll also be setting up key story details for later down the line. Expect 6k-7k word counts for the duration of these 10 chapters. 
> 
> They’re packed with story beats. There’s plenty of team RWBY bonding and JNPR plot content to be found here. Coco and Velvet return to reprise a bit of the spotlight, and the faculty have their own moments of dealing with the students. A few other characters begin to make appearances/establish themselves.
> 
> For those of you who have been chomping at the bit for shipping content, we’re getting into the early establishment of some of the pairings. Enjoy your subtext, blushes, and overall awkwardness as some of the ships finally begin to locate their damned sails.

**Searching For Sunlight** ****  
**Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
****Chapter XXX**

Another day of classes came and went, drifting by without any issue. Weiss and Yang made their way to the gym, while Blake headed off to the library to finish an essay that required a bit more research. Ruby wasn’t in the comfort of her room for very long. Instead she was summoned down to the faculty offices.

She fidgeted nervously as she sat in a nearby chair outside of the room belonging to Professor Goodwitch. She had no idea why she had been summoned, but her mind ran wild with the implications. If it had something else to do with wayward teammates getting into trouble, she wasn’t sure what she would do. She prayed it wasn’t anything like that, but the idea itself wasn’t one she could avoid. She bit her lip as the door opened, standing from her chair as the professor stepped out.

“Good afternoon, Miss Rose,” the tall blonde greeted placidly. “If you would please step into my office a moment, I promise I won’t keep you long.”

“Okay…” Ruby said slowly following after her. “Did… did someone do something wrong again?”

Glynda glanced over impassively at the girl as she closed the door behind them. “Not to my knowledge. Do you anticipate any further trouble?”

Aside from Yang possibly losing her temper and throttling Cardin again, there wasn’t much Ruby could think of that might come up. She twiddled her fingers idly as she answered. “No, not really. It’s just… if it’s not that, I don’t know what might have gone wrong.”

“Nothing has gone wrong to my knowledge, Miss Rose.” Glynda told her, reminding herself that if she wanted to get anywhere with this girl, she would need to relax her usual strict temperament, even if only slightly. “I merely wish to have a word with you. Please have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the sofa she kept in the corner, taking the armchair across from it for herself.

Swallowing down the ball of anxiety in her throat, Ruby practically launched herself at the black leather sofa.

Glynda found herself intrigued by that, Ruby acted as though doing anything other than what she was expressly ordered to would be a terrible error in judgement. Glynda sighed inwardly, doing little more than relaxing her features outwardly. “As you know, it’s my job to oversee the wellbeing of the young women attending this academy. I merely wish to ascertain how well you’ve found yourself acclimating to your new surroundings.”

“Oh, it’s alright. I’m fine, my team is fine… mostly…” She found her eyes wandering more than she would like around the sparsely decorated office. “I don’t have any complaints, if that’s what you mean.”

“Please do try to relax,” the professor told her calmly. “You aren’t in any trouble. You should get used to speaking with me during your time here. Part of my job is to make sure that you are well prepared for the future, which leads me to my first point of concern. Remedial classes are ending shortly, while we have a rather robust tutoring and mentoring program I fear you may be lacking more than what a fellow student may help you with. I’d like to oversee your tutoring myself in the classes that you struggle with, to help prepare you fully for the rigorous training that will be in your future. Are you alright with that, Miss Rose?”

“You want to keep tutoring me after the classes end?” Ruby asked, more than a little dumbfounded. She couldn’t believe her luck. “That would be awesome!”

“Very well, I shall see to the matter myself.” Glynda told her. “Once the new schedules have been put into place I’ll notify you. Onto the next topic of concern then, as the team leader I must also inform you that Weiss Schnee is equally behind in her survival and field training. I have been informed by Professor Port that you have been aiding Miss Schnee in these matters. Are you willing to continue doing so, or shall I assign her to a fellow peer to further her training?”

“Uncle Qrow taught me everything I know.” Ruby said, knowing that it was one of the few classes she was doing well in. “I think I can keep helping Weiss. Yang knows a lot too, so maybe she can take Weiss out into the Emerald Forest when I can’t.”

“Splendid, then I shall leave the matter in your hands.” Glynda nodded, writing a small note for herself. “This brings me to the topic of your sister and Miss Belladonna. Miss Xiao Long will continue to be overseen by Professor Peach. Her aura is much too dangerous for her to be training with the oversight of a peer. Miss Belladonna has no formal transcripts, so she will be seen by the faculty often to continue to fill the lack of an education.”

“Oh okay, that makes sense.” Ruby agreed.

“I’m sure that you’ve heard that team leaders will be assigned a mentor soon, correct?”

“Oh yeah, everyone keeps talking about it.”

“I see, that does seem to be the talk of the campus every year.” Glynda agreed softly as she made another small note. “Placements have already been decided, but you will be receiving a notification within the hour, I’m sure. However I will let you know now that your first gathering will be tonight at eight. Once all of the leaders have assembled you will be assigned a second year team leader to help you learn how to manage your team during your time in Beacon.”

“That’s tonight?”

“Yes, and do not be late.”

“I won’t.” Ruby said hurriedly. “I swear I’ll be on time.”

“Good, with all of that being said we have one final thing to discuss.” At this Glynda reached for a stack of requisition forms. “Miss Rose, as a scholarship student, you are entitled to funding for all of your needs. However in the time that you have been here not a single form has crossed my desk for your supplies…”

“Oh, well I don’t really need anything, so…”

At this, Glynda raised her eyebrow before placing aside the stack. It wasn’t the first time a student had shown reluctance when asking for something, but Ruby didn’t seem to want to ask at all. While it would have hardly been a concern Glynda had for most at Beacon, Ruby’s age concerned her. A different approach was in order. She settled back into her chair, crossing one leg over the other, affixing a relaxed stance as she pulled off her glasses and set them off to the side.

“A need may one day arise. There are particular requests that a student might require, and I cannot fill those orders if I don’t have the requests. I’d like to make it clear to you that there is nothing you could possibly put on a request form that I haven’t seen before. Furthermore, I doubt you would ask for something that I also wouldn’t order for myself from time to time.”

“Okay, but my dad sends most of my dust that I need and stuff like that. He works at Signal, so he gets massive discounts.” Ruby the silver eyed girl said then, not completely confident that she liked where this was going. “I don’t have anything to worry about, so I don’t make requests.”

“I was not speaking of combat supplies, Miss Rose.”

Ruby was the outlier of her team. The one who had not made requests for things that were common for Beacon students. Shaving gel, deodorant, razors, pads or tampons, particular hair care supplies, top of the line sunscreen, the list went on. A young woman might ask for any number of items. Some obviously frivolous and denied, while others were paramount. Brands the commissary carried were not always fit for every student.

Be it sensitive skin issues, or those requiring medicinal compounds, it was important that students could meet their needs. The scholarship covered such things, as many were considered essential. The health and wellbeing of all students began with tidiness and cleanly kept appearances. Even Weiss Schnee had been in search of a brand name item or two, filling out a requisition for the items that were usually not permitted by the food and drug laws found within Vale. Beacon Academy saw to that too, of course. Ordering the common supplies that a mere student could not.

Ruby had not filled out a single form of her own. That was a tad suspicious, and a minor cause of concern.

“I feel that I must see over your wellbeing a little more closely than I would the other students here.” Glynda said as she wondered about Ruby’s upbringing. The details weren’t something she kept direct tabs on. Now she wished she had paid more attention to the small family on Patch. “The supplies I’m curious about are things of a more personal nature.”

“I’m not sure that I understand.” Ruby said, squinting and cocking her head curiously.

“To be blunt you’re still a developing young woman. I worry that you may not have the supplies you might need. Feminine hygiene stands out as a prime example. Undergarments a very close second. While the commissary does carry some noteworthy products, it does not carry others. I merely wish to be certain that you have what you require. In the event that you don’t, that you will obtain them when you must.”

“Oh you mean girl stuff…” Ruby’s nose crinkled. “I um… I don’t buy that stuff…”

“Ah, I see, so I should rest assured that your father obtains items such as that for you as well?”

“Um… No?” Ruby asked, very confused.

At this, Glynda raised an eyebrow. “May I ask who provides you with such items when you require them?”

“Uh, Yang…” Ruby murmured, not sure if that was a private detail or not, and having no clue if she was supposed to be buying them herself. “Should she… um… not be?”

“So long as you have what you need, it’s quite alright.” Glynda told her with a soft shake of her head. She made another small note. “Please know that your scholarship will reimburse your expenses. All you need to do is produce proof of your purchases. I just want to make that clear to you before we continue. That being said, you did bypass two entire grades, and one of them would have been paramount to you.”

Now Ruby was afraid to ask what she might have missed. At first Glynda didn’t elaborate. She merely slid forward a small package. Oddly, it was wrapped in brown paper and didn’t have a label. Ruby picked it up and rattled it. “Is this for me?”

“Forgive me for being presumptuous, but I went ahead and made a purchase on your behalf.” Glynda nodded, trying to be as casual about the situation as proprietary would allow. She certainly didn’t want to embarrass the girl. “I assure you, it is something that you will require on long missions in the field.”

“Uh… What is it?” Ruby asked, ripping off the paper to find something she didn’t quite recognize on the front label of the box.

“A vaginal cup and cleansing wipes to use with it, Miss Rose. The top brand for huntresses such as ourselves.” Glynda told her simply. “Pads and tampons are not feasible while we are out in the field. There would be no way to dispose of them.”

“Oh god…” Ruby murmured already feeling the heat in her cheeks. If the professor sitting in front of her noticed, she said nothing of it. Ruby flipped the box over and found there was a list of instructions included in the box. “Do I really need something like this?”

“You will want to have it with you on missions. Huntresses need something we can re-use during our cycle.” Instead of being judgemental, Glynda’s voice was cool and collected. “You would have been instructed by your school nurse to start getting used to using one in your final year at Signal Academy. While some women don’t prefer them, it is a staple we all get used to. If that one turns out to be uncomfortable there are other brands to choose from. I will merely find a brand that suits you if that one doesn’t.”

To say Ruby blushed deeply was an understatement. She had never wanted to run fleeing from a simple assessment meeting so fast in her entire life. Why hadn’t Yang warned her about something so important?

\--

When Ruby had asked later, Yang said she forgot such a seemingly important detail. Ruby couldn’t believe it. With a blush on her cheeks and mild outrage in her tone, she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. Yang had laughed it off. It was so natural for her to take the cup with her on missions, it was second nature for her by now. Honestly, it had slipped her mind entirely. 

Yet, Yang reminded her once again that as their advisor, Professor Goodwitch would probably try to talk to her about those sorts of things more often. She said to get used to it, ruffling Ruby’s hair and brushing off the matter entirely.

It’s just the way things were going to be, she had said, sending Ruby off on her way so she could get back to studying.

It was just an accident, so Ruby let the matter slide too. Besides, she had more important things to think about. The leadership meeting was fast approaching. After dinner Ruby took a shower and put on the best black skirt and corset she had. She washed her cloak, and smoothed out the wrinkles. She wanted to look her best.

The leader’s assembly hall was behind a locked door that Ruby had passed several times. Standing outside of it now, she waited for the light on the door to turn green thanks to the access code she had been given. What lay on the other side was a large oval of stadium seating along with holographic panels and metal name plates resting in front of most of the seats. There were only a cluster of empty chairs spaced out among them. There were no names listed in those chairs.

“Please make your way to the front of the stadium, Miss Rose.” Ozpin replied to her, passing her the plate that belongs to her. “You’ll be assigned a seat shortly.”

“Yes sir…” She said compliantly, more in awe than anything as she made her way down the steps. The thin fold of metal felt heavy in her hand. Her name was etched boldly across the front, with her team name etched in smaller letters beneath it. Lower still, on the final line, the names of her team were written in order, signifying the people she was in charge of.

She made her way down the steps where a few other first year team leaders gathered amongst themselves. She didn’t know them personally. She had only seen them in passing and amidst a few of her classes. There was one familiar face in the bunch. One of Yang’s friends from Signal. Feeling out of place, and completely out of her element, Ruby edged towards the one person in the room that would probably be nice to her.

“H-hi Trifa.” Ruby said, poking her fingers together awkwardly during her greeting. In truth, she had always thought the spider Faunus was more than a little intimidating. She wasn’t nearly as big or as strong as Yang, but her temper was known to be far worse.

The loner standing in the corner rolled her eyes at length when Ruby approached. She didn’t particularly like the girl, but she did like Yang. She considered the blond her friend, and Yang didn’t like it when her sister wasn’t treated respectfully. If it were anyone else, she would have sent the girl on her way, but loyalty was a thing that ran deep. That was something that Yang deserved at the very least.

“Hey, Ruby,” she greeted dully, her eyes focused on her surroundings rather than the girl in front of her. “Why aren’t you over there with the others?”

“Um…” There was one reason for that. Cardin was over there, and that alone was reason enough to avoid that crowd. “Well, those guys just aren’t very nice people.”

“You’re a human, Ruby. They’re not going to mess with you.” Trifa told her, crossing her arms and thinking of all the ways she could murder that idiot across the room making jokes. “Hang around with me though, and they just might start screwing with you…”

“Cardin’s not nice, and it doesn’t matter if I stay over here or not.” Ruby whispered, hoping to not be overheard dropping his name like a curse. “He’s picked on me before. Plus, most of the people over there really hate Faunus and I don’t want to be around that.”

“Huh? That so?” Trifa said mostly to herself. She glanced at the girl that was very nearly hiding beside her. “Did you tell Yang that Cardin’s not being nice to you?”

“I can’t do that.” Ruby said, grabbing at the edge of her red cloak to keep herself from fidgeting. “You know what she’ll do if she finds out.”

“That’s the point.” Trifa said, shrugging mildly. “You want me to shove his head up his own ass?” The girl suggested, grinning in a way that promised she’d do more than intimidate Cardin.

“It’s probably best if you don’t do that…” Ruby told her, timid silver eyes falling to the floor. The girl would have done it too, if Ruby had asked. She knew it, and that would mean trouble. “It’s not that bad.”

“If it gets that bad, you let me know.” Trifa replied.

“Okay, but really, it’s not that bad. Please don’t do anything. I don’t want there to be a fight.” Ruby begged hoping the girl wouldn’t act on her own. There was a reason that Trifa and Yang were such good friends, and it came down to their destructive streaks. Yang didn’t really seek out to hurt people, but Trifa didn’t care if she did. She was a bad influence in Yang’s life. A friend that sought trouble. The two of them having more than a few run-ins with the police, and going to places that they didn’t really belong.

“If there is a fight, it isn’t your problem.”

“I don’t really like it when you hurt people for me. The last time you picked a fight with one of my bullies, you broke his aura and sent him to the hospital.”

“I’m a spider Faunus, Ruby. For me, that was being nice.” Trifa reminded her. “That bastard’s just lucky I didn’t suffocate him.” She could kill with the mere desire to do so, using little more than her sticky webs, no weaponry needed.

That made Ruby more than a little uncomfortable. “Can we… maybe… not talk about doing that kind of stuff please?”

“Hmm.” The older girl half-heartedly agreed, catching sight of the other students entering in the room taking their seats and talking amongst themselves.

“Ruby! Sorry I’m so late.” Jaune said running down the stairs after catching sight of her.

“Hey Jaune.” Ruby said, a true smile coming to her face. “This is Trifa, she’s a friend of Yang’s. They’ve known each other since back in Signal.”

“Oh, well it’s a pleasure to meet you, Trifa,” he said, holding out his hand.

“Touch me and die,” the Faunus warned. She had to be nice to Ruby, but her kindness didn’t extend beyond that. With a soft glare she stepped backward, daring him to say another word. Thankfully for him, the murderous look on her face was enough to keep him from trying.

\--

First year students were introduced and paired with a second year upper-classmen. They were assigned a seat next to their superiors, thick packets in hand. There was a dull roar of murmurs in the stands as the students spoke amongst themselves. Then, Ozpin stepped up to the podium. Flanked on his sides Glynda Goodwitch stood to the right, while Bartholomew Oobleck stood to the left. The dull roar came to a halt as the grey haired man cleared his throat and Ozpin began his briefing.

The room became so quiet that Ruby swore she could have heard a pin drop.

“To all of you newcomers joining us here today, I would personally like to welcome you to your first leadership seminar. You’ll gather here on a monthly basis from now until the end of the school year to hone your skills. Private briefings shall be held whenever the need arises, however the main goal of these seminars will be to give you all of the materials you need to run and manage your teams correctly. With that, let’s discuss your new responsibilities going forward. Everyone please open the packet to the second page.”

The rustling of papers echoed through the room as the students did what had been asked of them. Murmurs and muttering rang out until everyone finally settled once more.

“Up until now, your teammates have been given directives about when acquisition papers must be signed on their behalf. That ends today. All acquisition paperwork shall go through you first and foremost for approval. You will be responsible for maintaining the chain of command accordingly. After a seventy-two hour grace period to get your affairs in order, any paperwork that reaches our desks without your signature will be considered void, destroyed and thrown in the garbage. We will not inform you, and we will not make accommodations on your behalf.”

He could already hear the flabbergasted first year students. This wasn’t taken well. It never was. First year students couldn’t understand why such a thing was so vastly important. Yet, this too, was training that could not be avoided. He pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose as the murmurs reached his ears. Quiet whispering collecting among the masses before they were brought to a hush.

“I assure you, this is not an act of cruelty.” Ozpin said slowly, his hands raising slowly to placate them. “Rather it is critical to your survival. On missions, important correspondence can mean the difference between life and death. You cannot just send requests at whim and expect them to be abided. This is a simulation of that, reduced down to the most simple lesson. Always follow the chain of command. Now then, if you’ll join me on page three, we’ll go over the appropriate contingencies…”

He waited for the students to catch up. This page contained a blank form, the first of many they would need to fill out. “As team leaders there may be occasions when you will be unable to fill your assigned role. With missions in your future, injury and illness are possible threats. Therefore, you must allot one of your team members to act in your capacity as team leader in the event that you are unable to do so. This page must be submitted to the faculty by the end of the week. Teams will not be assigned any graded missions until this form has been completed and registered in your team’s file. Failure to comply will result in expulsion.”

After a moment he once again instructed the students to turn to the next page. This one contained a few brief guidelines to the mentor system that Beacon Academy held in high regard. “Beacon’s mentorship program is the most advanced within the academies. With that being said, Professor Goodwitch shall have the floor.”

The woman took the podium, a stack of papers in hand. “You must learn to deal with conflict in a healthy and meaningful way. Together you will work to resolve most complications among yourselves. If for any reason that is not possible, supervised arena matches and staff members are still open for consultations and mediation. However, you will be strongly encouraged to find other methods to resolve conflict before we intervene. All first year students observe your betters, fourth year students, I would like to open proceedings to conflict resolution. You may request the floor.”

Team leaders settled the few disputes that had risen up since the beginning of the school year. Glynda intervened only when and where it was paramount to come to a swift and smooth outcome. Third year students came next before the floor was closed to discussion. After a few moments more of prattling Ruby stifled a yawn as Glynda called for a short recess.

“You okay there, pipsqueak?” Coco asked as she sat beside Ruby, a long list of notes in front of her. They were scribbled down quickly to keep a log of everything that had been discussed so far.

“I didn’t think these would be so long.” Ruby said nervously. She felt more than a little intimidated as she watched students bustle around the room. Some of them had even begun gathering around the faculty with refreshments in hand, joining in what looked to be mindless chatter. 

“How do you take your coffee?”

Ruby jolted at the question, nearly flying out of her seat. “Umm… Coffee? I like a whole lot of cream, and plenty of sugar.”

“Got it.” Coco said, clapping her on the shoulder as she stood. “Sit tight, I’ll be right back.”

Jaune came walking up from several seats over, rubbing at his neck as he sighed. “Hey Ruby, how are you holding up?”

“Bored out of my mind,” she complained. “How about you?”

“The same,” he murmured. “Plus that packet is gigantic, and they didn’t even go over most of it.”

“That’s our job,” the large Faunus beside him replied, handing Jaune a bottle of water and a wrapped sandwich from the refreshment table. “We’ll explain most of it to you in our spare time after this is all over.” Then as a thought came to him, he smacked his hand to his face. “Where are my manners?” He grumbled to himself before holding out his hand. “My name is Mata, I’m Jaune’s mentor.”

“I’m Ruby,” she said, shaking his hand. The muscled sheep Faunus was as tall as he was broad. “This sounds like a lot of work.” Ruby said, as they both pulled away. She began fidgeting in her chair. She didn’t want to be a burden. “I can probably figure it out myself…”

“Yeah, you probably can. There’s no way in hell that I’ll let you though.” Coco said, coming up from behind them. She put Ruby’s cup in front of her before swigging from her own. “Careful, it’s hot.”

Ruby had been paired with Coco, and Jaune with Mata. The two first year students had no idea what to make of it all. Jaune’s clueless shrug was only a little comfort. Ruby lifted her coffee to her lips, belly grumbling as she eyed Jaune’s sandwich. She didn’t realize she was so hungry.

“Is that how you take it?” Coco asked.

“Huh?”

“The coffee.” Coco said, sipping from her own. “Is that good, or not?”

“Yeah…” Ruby trailed off. “It’s good.”

“Hey, don’t sweat it, Ruby. First year students don’t really do much in these things but observe and listen.” Coco told her with an easy little shrug. “It’s not exactly a big deal.”

“I’m not good at public speaking…” She said quietly looking down at her lap nervously.

“Then it’s a good thing you won’t be doing it.” Coco told her without a care in the world.

“We’re going to have to at some point.” Jaune muttered, equally displeased.

“Next year, not now.” Coco said.

“She’s right, first year students aren’t expected to take the stage for conflict resolution.” Mata explained calmly to Jaune. “You’ll come to me if you have a problem. I will take the stage on your behalf. Most of the time, we don’t take the stage at all. We handle matters quietly among ourselves if we’re able to.”

“Yeah, but some ass-hats have more brawn than brains.” Coco bit out. “Jackasses like that, you take them to the stage and dress them down in front of everyone. The one in the wrong normally shuts the fuck up real fast. Third and fourth year students have way more conflicts to resolve because they’ve got more people under them with problems. Plus, they’re doing full missions mostly unsupervised by that point. Plenty of ways to have that go wrong if things aren’t handled safely here first.”

“So, we don’t have much to do then as far as that goes?” Jaune asked.

“If we’re doing what we should be as your mentors, it won’t be your problem right now.” Mata told him. “Your only job right now is learning to take care of yourself and your own team.”

“It’s the way things are around here. Like I told you guys before, it’s all about the chain of command.” Coco replied, still seeing that Ruby was riddled with anxiety. She nudged the girl with her elbow. “Hey, come on, you rookies have nothing to worry about. My mentor is a third year student this year, and his mentor is a fourth year student. If a problem is bad enough it rises up the chain of command. Well, either that, or it gets taken to the arena. It’s not your thing to worry about right now, unless arena matches are your thing.”

“I don’t really like fighting people for the sake of it…” Ruby murmured.

“Then don’t…” Coco shrugged. “It’s that simple and it’s not a big deal. If someone pisses me off enough, I’ll do it myself.”

\--

The next day, Cardin was up to his usual tricks, annoying anyone that was timid enough to fear him. Jaune narrowly avoided an early morning water balloon to the face before breakfast. After breakfast he had to protect his books once again when Cardin swiped at him in passing.

When the lunch bell rang, Cardin was already starting trouble in the cafeteria. Jaune hung his head low as he pulled a slice of pizza from the nearby box. He was trying his best to focus on the thick packet in front of him.

Mata explained the paperwork, most of it was common sense. Leaders were expected to evaluate themselves with a list of questions based around their personality. Some of it was purely theoretical, questioning what he might do in the event of a medical emergency. Other questions asked him what he might do if his team disagreed with his choices as leader. A large portion of the test was merely a questionnaire about how he responded to his role as his team’s leader, and how he thought he performed.

To say that he was grading himself rather harshly was an understatement.

“Jaune, you’re not on very good terms with yourself, are you?” Mata asked, noticing the way the blonde haired young man completely deflated at the question.

“I’m not a very good team leader.” Jaune told him.

Mata just looked at him, saying nothing to argue about the matter. He didn’t know Jaune enough to say that one way or the other, and he prided himself on being an honest man. A person worthy of leading his own team. “I think it’s common to believe that.” Mata said instead, knowing it was probably of very little comfort. “I don’t believe that’s a feeling exclusive to leaders though. Before we come into Beacon we only have to worry about ourselves. Then, suddenly we are asked to live with three other people, and we’re expected to get along. If that isn’t a very good way to make someone feel self-conscious, I don’t know what is.”

Jaune was about to respond, but Pyrrha placed her meal down at the table. Taking her seat she began apologizing profusely for the lunch line taking her so long. Ren and Nora were trailing behind with their own meals.

“Can we finish this later?” Jaune asked the man beside him.

“Sure thing,” the Faunus replied simply.

“Aw, why does Jaune get to have pizza, and I don’t?” Nora complained to Ren when she noticed the box in front of the other two men.

“Would you like a slice?” Mata asked gently.

“Ohh!” Nora said with her eyes wide. “Yes please!”

Ren merely slapped at her hand to keep her from going after the unhealthy treat. “Nora, leave it be. You demolished ten pancakes at breakfast, plus most of the syrup. You really don’t need any more junk food.” Ren replied with a fond sigh. “Just eat what you have.”

“But Ren, there’s pizza…” Nora told him. “You don’t just say no to pizza, it’s like the worst thing you could do.”

“If you eat that pizza today, I won’t be cooking you breakfast tomorrow.” Ren told her, putting his foot down on the matter. He knew he had her right where he wanted her at that idle threat.

“Fine, you win.” Nora pouted, but left the pizza well enough alone. Nothing got in-between her and Ren’s amazing breakfasts, not even pizza.

Inwardly Mata breathed a sigh of relief. None of Jaune’s team were anti-Faunus. Pyrrha Nikos was a pleasure to speak to, having known of the girl prior to acceptance into Beacon. Back then, he was a Sanctum Academy student. In a combat school that shared many Atlesian and old world ideals, he had formed a bond with the younger woman during her formative training. She had been very kind to him and Velvet, a luxury that wasn’t as common in Argus as he would have liked. Being plucked from Menagerie had been a shock to his system, and Pyrrha had been one of the few bright points in his life.

Nora was quirky, but she was very friendly too. Ren was formal, yet kind. Two simple villagers that had been trained by the wandering huntsmen. Mata knew simply by their demeanor that he wouldn’t have trouble with either of them. It was a blessing, and one that Mata didn’t take for granted. Jaune had a wonderful team, and a partner that would loyally follow him.

“Tell me Mata, is your mother doing well?” Pyrrha asked pleasantly.

“She’s doing quite well, thanks for asking.” Mata said, eyes alight with joy. It was little things like that, tiny questions and casual kindness. It always brightened his day. “Are your parents still touring the kingdoms?”

“You know my father, even with a bad knee he can’t stay in one place for too long. He’s always in search of some form of adventure.” Pyrrha said with a soft laugh. “The last I spoke to them, they had made their way to one of the small villages off the coast of Vacuo.”

“I do hope they are being safe on their travels.” Mata said cautiously. “Although I suppose it wouldn’t be much of an adventure if it was. Once a huntsman, always a huntsman.”

“Father would be the textbook example of that.” Pyrrha said with a soft laugh.

“How do you guys know each other, anyway?” Jaune wondered, wagging his finger between the two of them.

“Pyrrha was very well known at Sanctum. It would be more shocking not to have known of her. She is quite famous at this point.” Mata replied with a laugh. “Our dormitories were right across from one another, and we both frequented the grounds separating them. She spent many days studying beneath the pine trees.”

“You were no slouch either, Mata.” Pyrrha praised. “He doesn’t brag about it, but he was one of the top of his class in political studies. I think he spent even more time studying beneath the trees than I did.” A thought came to her mind at that and she leaned over a bit to further regard him. “Speaking of, are you still planning on taking a seat on Menagerie’s council?”

“Ah, if only that were possible. Menagerie would need to be classified as a kingdom, first.” Mata told her. “Deliberations on the matter haven’t gone so well. The chieftain does his best, but I have reconsidered my certifications. I believe my talents would do best to be given to the people as a hunter for hire. There’s never a shortage of villages in need of Faunus aid.”

“A respectable goal for sure.” Ren commented idly.

“Yeah, we're going to do the same thing, right Ren?” Nora chirped between bites of vegetable medley and chicken breast.

“That’s the plan,” he nodded.

Mata’s scroll chimed, and he quickly checked it. “It seems that my teammates need me,” he said after a moment, slowly standing from his seat. “Jaune, we’ll continue going over the rest of the packet later.”

“Yeah.” Jaune said, shoving the papers further out of sight. “Sounds good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 5/1/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is another pointed time-skip in the series between “Jaundice” and the “Forever Fall” episodes. The skip is clear as day when Nora asks why Jaune has been getting back to the dorm so late at night. Ren replies that Jaune has been rather scarce ever since he’s been fraternizing with Cardin. That means we’re taking a lurch off the main path again to cover the this vague skip in time. Ruby also comments that she hasn’t seen much of Jaune when she talks to him in the next scene saying “long time, no see”.
> 
> I’m going to assume that this about week or two. That’s just my guess.
> 
> For Jaune and team JNPR it’ll be a bumpy ride. For team RWBY though, mostly smooth sailing ahead (a tiny bit of fluff included)

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXI**

Shuffling into his last class of the day, Jaune sat down to suffer the long and boring history lecture.

Today’s topic was about the Faunus Rights Revolution, also casually referred to as the Faunus War. It was a war of segregation. The human population had their hearts set on isolating Faunus tribes to areas well outside of the kingdom borders. Their goal was to drive the Faunus away towards the dangerous Grimm infested coasts and the outlying islands far away from the kingdoms.

“I’d like to remind you all that the Faunus have a very rich and storied history.” Bartholomew began as he stood in front of the class. “There are several notable events within history that include the Faunus. However, personally I feel it would be a bit uncouth to speak of this matter alone. Therefore, to solve this little issue I have invited a guest speaker today to gloss over a few details that are better explained by a Faunus than a human. Velvet Scarlatina, if you would please…”

“Yes, Professor.” Velvet nodded as she stood from her spot near the front of the classroom. Walking down the small set of steps with a written speech in hand, she took her place beside the green haired professor. With a slightly nervous breath, she looked up to the students waiting for her to begin. She hated public speaking, but this was an assignment handed down to her by the professor himself. All second year students needed to practice the skill. 

“In Faunus culture we value three distinct virtues above all else.” Velvet said, projecting her voice loudly enough that the class could hear her. “These virtues are what separate higher thinking in Faunus minds from our brethren in the animal kingdom. A vast majority of our history are tied to these virtues.”

She couldn’t help but feel a small weight in her. She hoped she could do the matter justice, but most in the class were human. They weren’t raised with the virtues in mind. They weren’t taught to value them, and all of the privileges that Faunus were given because of them. “The first virtue is that of unity. This guiding principle has been around for as long as documented records allow for. It is the foundation for all of the principles and rules we follow collectively. The virtue states that all Faunus must work together in harmony. No matter our hailed species, instincts, or our traits, we as a people must treat each other fairly and with respect. Even when our brethren from the animal kingdom would not, Faunus hold ourselves to that higher standard.”

Weiss raised her hand interrupting Velvet’s speech with a question that came to mind. “Please correct me if I’m wrong, but there are some species in the animal kingdom that are solitary outside of mating habits. Is there a possibility that there are Faunus that also choose to live solitary lives based on that as well?”

Velvet nodded, her long ears bobbing a little atop her head. “Yes, of course. Although the same can be said for solitary humans. Some Faunus are not social butterflies, and prefer to keep to themselves. We are not unlike humans in that way.”

Weiss seemed to think on that. “Wouldn’t this play a role in how solitary Faunus perceive the virtue?”

“It could.” Velvet said thoughtfully. “Although you’d have to ask that person why they view it differently.”

Weiss merely nodded. “I would think that some Faunus might not choose to follow it. Is that a likely outcome?”

“It would be rare, but possible. Just as solitary humans must be respectful of their own kind, the same is true for all Faunus. The virtue itself  _ does not _ say that we  _ must  _ live together. Only that we  _ must offer respect _ to every Faunus, even if it is not in our inherent nature to do so. We are not animals, and we can’t act like we are. This virtue holds us to that higher standard, that above the animal kingdom. Are there any other questions?”

The class was otherwise silent and Weiss offered a soft decline, saying she had nothing else to ask. She made a few notes. Velvet couldn’t help of being reminded of Winter Schnee, and her cool exterior. She was strict and stringent, but she wasn’t unkind. She asked questions expecting answers, and in that small way the sisters seemed to be the same. Weiss was clearly sheltered, but she had a willingness to learn. Velvet only wished the rest of the class felt the same. Some students were dreary eyed at their desks in an attempt not to fall asleep. Others didn’t seem to care what she had to say, or the importance behind it.

Feeling that it was safe for her to continue, Velvet looked down at her paper once more. Her thick accent wafting gently into the air once more.

“The second virtue is that of self-governance. It was instated shortly after the Great War. If Faunus tribes live outside of kingdom walls, that tribe can live as they see fit. As long as they do no harm, the kingdoms generally leave them alone. This virtue was put into place when Faunus tribes began to settle in larger social groups. Put simply, each tribe has its own rules and bylaws. Thanks to our social hierarchy and our tribal leaders, we chose this virtue so that no tribe can command more authority over another. Most importantly, this virtue was the one put most at risk during the Faunus War.”

“If you don’t like the kingdom’s laws why do you still stick around nearby?” Cardin asked from his seat. “What’s the point?”

“As a people, most of us would love to live within the kingdoms. However, we are not given the full rights of citizenship that humans receive.” Velvet told him, her ears wilting a little at the brashness of the question. “It’s not that we don’t want to live within the kingdoms… It’s that… Well… You see, for many Faunus the kingdoms are not the best place to live.”

“Then go away.” Cardin grumbled. “We don’t need you.”

“Silence!” Bartholomew ordered harshly. “There will be no bigotry in the confines of this classroom.”

Cardin only rolled his eyes, complying with the statement. He had no interest in following the intent of it.

At this, Bartholomew could only sigh. “Please ignore him and proceed, Velvet.”

“Alright…” Velvet trailed off, her spirit dampened by the event. “As I was saying, there are many within the kingdoms who do not welcome us with open arms. They see us as animals, or lower still as monsters. Faunus living within the tribes don’t have to deal with systemic levels of racism. However, we also lack many of the luxuries that living within the kingdoms provide. Important things, such as advanced medical care, safety with the walls, and a higher education such as this institution. Are there any more questions?”

There were none, and Jaune stifled a yawn as Velvet continued speaking. He had never studied the Faunus War at all. His family had always been Faunus friendly, even when it was seen as abhorrent to be that way. None of his ancestors had joined the fighting, refusing to be discriminatory. However, they had not joined the Faunus in their fight, either. Choosing simply to continue their jobs as huntsmen. They provided relief to the villages that had been ignored due to the war at hand.

“The final virtue is that of cultivation.” Velvet said earnestly. “We must cultivate everything in our lives including our people, our land, and in our future. Every day, Faunus do their best to care for their chosen kinfolk, the wilds we reside in, and the future we wish to have. This virtue was chosen by our tribal leaders after the Faunus War ended. Despite our victory, our people were famished, our families were destroyed, and the wilds were overrun with Grimm. The virtue asks us to care for the wilds, and to not allow another war to take away everything we hold dearest to us.”

She asked if there were any questions. There were none, and Velvet politely bowed to the class before taking her seat.

“Thank you Velvet, I’m sure that most of the class found that rather enlightening.” Bartholomew said as he stepped forward to retake control of the lesson. “With these foremost virtues in mind, you can see how every war that has shaped Remnant, also shaped Faunus culture. The Faunus Revolutionary War was incited by humans within the kingdoms. They attempted to push the Faunus not only outside of the kingdoms, but also outside of their ancestral lands. Today we shall study the reasons why the humans lost that war, and discuss the matter carefully.”

Jaune’s heavy eyes closed as the professor continued to speak. Most of the lesson fell on Jaune’s deaf ears as a soft snore fell from his lips. It was all he could do to prop up his head in his hand, let alone pay any attention.

Other students were more invested in the lecture. Many were taking notes and attempting to keep up with the man that sped across the room with a coffee cup in hand. When asked if there were any Faunus in the room that had been discriminated against, Velvet raised her hand shyly. She didn’t dare to speak about what had actually been done to her. The list was too long for Velvet to name anyway.

The lesson went on, and Professor Oobleck posed questions to the class in-between bouts of his lecture.

If only Jaune had chosen to sit in a different seat, perhaps the student sitting behind him would have left him to his slumbering. Cardin had other plans, using a wad of paper to startle the blond boy awake. In seconds Jaune found the hyper professor in front of him, seeking an answer to a question that Jaune hadn’t been paying attention to. To Pyrrha’s credit, she tried to send hints to the answer. He was just too tired and confused to truly catch on. After making a fool of himself and causing the class to laugh, Jaune buried his head and grumbled to himself.

Cardin was then asked to answer the same question, and his response was purely racist and incorrect.

Bartholomew was just about to scold his wayward students when Pyrrha Nikos interjected, beginning a proper discussion in the class. Thankfully, she had the right answer. Even more appealing to him was Blake Belladonna’s contribution to the class. The two ladies did a wonderful job at both silencing Cardin’s rude behavior, and providing an adequate and thoughtful explanation.

It was with no small sense of pride that Bartholomew allowed the exchange to take place. It wasn’t the kindest of peer mediation he had ever seen, but it was a start that he was willing to encourage. Still, he would be remiss if he let the behavior of the two young men in his class go on unpunished. With this in mind, he instructed Jaune and Cardin to stay after class.

When the class was eventually dismissed, Jaune and Cardin were left to the professor’s mercy as their teams left them behind.

Bartholomew liked to think of himself as a rather relaxed person for a teacher at a prestigious academy. He expected great things from all of his students. He was never unwilling to offer his aid when it was requested. He felt that it was his absolute responsibility to offer the students everything he could to help them. He wanted them to succeed. However, he could do nothing to help them if they didn’t choose to help themselves.

Neither of the boys in front of him seemed to have a clue. They were as foolhardy as any typical young man, but twice as problematic. To top it all off, they were team leaders. They didn’t have the luxury to be lazy in their studious pursuits, and Bartholomew told them that quite clearly. Although he didn’t see fit to raise his voice, he was stern in his critiques. Beacon Academy was not the sort of school to tolerate such a flippant disregard for the learning environment.

Students who failed to keep up in class and failed to seek help would ultimately be removed if the matter was a persistent issue. There was no conceivable reason he could think of to allow that to happen, not if he had anything to say about it.

Quite frankly, Bartholomew had plenty to say, and loathed saying it. Finally, after what he considered to be a proper dressing down of the two boys, he demanded they read pages fifty-one to ninety-one and to write an essay on the material. He expected the essays to be turned in before the next class, a grueling order to be made of the boys to be sure.

That was entirely the point. History was not forgiving, and a failure to learn from it would only result in more loss that could be avoided. He dismissed them with a wave of his hand and sped off in the direction of his personal office.

* * *

Pyrrha waited for Jaune, sending her two teammates off ahead to go back to the dorms without her. It wasn’t a lengthy wait before Jaune came out of the classroom looking properly chastised for his failure to learn the material.

More than a little agitated, Cardin shoved Jaune to the floor as soon as they made it to the hallway. ”Idiot…” The man stomped off in a huff, cursing his luck the entire time.

Pyrrha could only sigh as she watched Cardin leave. The bullying had gone on for far too long. She was fed up with it. Helping Jaune up off of the floor and dusting him off a bit, she couldn’t help but feel agitated. “You know, I really will break his legs. I normally don’t advocate for violence, but in this case, I think it may be warranted. In fact, it would even be worth the detention.”

“Don’t do that, Pyrrha.” Jaune told her. “Not over something like that.”

“Fine then, I can take him to the arena. A supervised match.” Pyrrha told him, the solution coming to her quite simply. “Methods for supervised fighting are within the Beacon handbook for a reason, Jaune. Reasons such as this. Some bullies cannot be reasoned with. However, I have found that they can be strongly encouraged to leave people alone with the right motivation.”

“Strongly encouraged…” Jaune echoed with a dark laugh that held no humor. “You mean beating the absolute crap out of him, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t put it so crassly…”

“That’s what would end up happening, though.”

“There are methods to the madness in schools like this. It might seem barbaric, but it does have a place.” Pyrrha said softly. She wanted to help him, and there weren’t many ways that would be possible if Jaune didn’t want her to get involved. “Huntsmen and huntresses live a life outside the norms of civility. We have our own ways to resolve conflict. It might not be ideal, but then again the need for people like us in the first place demands our way of life.”

“I don’t buy into that.”

“Then you have deluded yourself into thinking that heroism and valor are the only reasons why someone might seek this type of training. That’s just not the case.” Pyrrha told him sadly. She wished it could be that way. That academies would only be attended by the virtuous, and that maliciousness was never a factor to be considered. Sadly, the world wasn’t so simple. It never would be. “Jaune, not everyone has come here for the greater good. Sometimes you have to push back a little.”

“You’re not fighting with Cardin outside of class. Fighting isn’t the right answer.”

“Sometimes, it’s the only answer.”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t have to be our answer.” He told her. “Pyrrha, I’m okay. I promise.”

She didn’t believe that, not with the way Jaune’s eyes continued to drift off, his expression becoming more sad and lonely by the day. There had to be a way to help him. A spark of inspiration came to her, and she wasn’t about to let it slip away. “Jaune, I’ve got an idea. Follow me.” She didn’t give him a chance to decline, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him away.

* * *

Jaune had no idea where Pyrrha was taking him at the late hour. He just wanted to go to bed. A new day would come with the sunrise. Maybe he would have a better time of things after he had a moment to rest. Maybe then, luck would be on his side. If not, he could worry about all of his failures because nothing would have changed. When they got to their destination, Pyrrha nearly urged him out into the breezy night air.

Beacon Academy had a lot of flat rooftops scattered around, and this was one of them. It was there, on that squared off rooftop, that Pyrrha sometimes enjoyed time alone. Away from her scroll, endless expectations, and her classes. It was a welcome point of respite in a world that offered so little of it.

There were no cameras here, no dazzled students, just the night sky up high and the ground below. A lot of students that were prone to unwanted attention found hiding places like this. Pyrrha thought that maybe they could use this area for private training. It would be off the records that way, private, so that no one would need to know.

Jaune didn’t take the offer. He didn’t want the help. All he wanted was to be left alone.

Like a good partner, and an obedient teammate, she left him be. She didn’t want to, but she turned around and left him to his sulking. The way he declined her help had hurt in more ways than one. In spite of her encouragement, or maybe directly because of it, he refused to let her help him. He began shaking his head and saying that he didn’t even belong at Beacon.

It was then that Pyrrha found herself standing in front of a man with more than surface level flaws. He was a liar too, faking his way into Beacon with faulty transcripts and bypassing the entry level exams completely. The worst part of it all, the thing that really stuck with her, was that his grandiose lie was entirely believable.

_ “My father, my grandfather, and his father before him...”  _ Jaune had explained angry at himself and everything that he wasn’t.  _ “They were all warriors. They were all heroes. I wanted to be one too.” _

That echoed in her mind in the aftermath. It was a pure fact, and Pyrrha knew it. Jaune never needed to say it. The fact that he did manage to admit it only cut deeper into the both of them.

The Arc family line was historically prominent. They were well known in the archives. Written of at length in history books. The family name might have been common, but Jaune was the spitting image of his great-grandfather. Almost as if the history book itself had brought the fabled man back to life. Jaune had his features, and the same unkempt appearance that his great-grandfather did in his youth.

In the days of the Great War and beyond, the Arc family served valiantly in almost every major conflict. Women served as nurses and assistants on the frontlines. The men in his family passed on the tradition of being a huntsman from father to son. The sprawling family was so big now, and harder to keep track of. Now, even the Arc women were becoming figures that would be spoken of in history. A few of the women in Jaune’s family tree, distant cousins, held high status in the military. One of his uncles was a councilman in Mistral.

It was no question that if Jaune Arc wanted to come to Beacon and provided impressive transcripts, he would have been believed. Those at Beacon taking him at face value, because his family line was an impressive one.

However, none of that lessened the sting of his lie any less. Pyrrha couldn’t help but feel lonely all over again. A feeling she thought she had put behind her when she had first come to Beacon.

Ren and Nora would probably be willing to lend an ear to her worries. They were kind people, and that was the problem. She didn’t want to sound conceited by rubbing her fame in their faces. She was fortunate, she always had been. Her teammates had certainly suffered a more difficult life than she had ever needed to. She wasn’t about to squander their friendship with her complaints.

She knew of one person who would understand implicitly. Someone that understood the vitriolic elite and complications of formalities. If anyone could help her, it would be Weiss Schnee. She began to make her way to one of the small balconies that Weiss frequented. Sure enough, the shorter woman was there with a pen pressed to paper.

“It’s a beautiful evening, isn’t it?” Pyrrha said, leaning heavily on the metal rail.

“Yes, I suppose it is.” Weiss replied from her place. She sat on a large picnic blanket that she had folded once and laid neatly on the ground. “You aren’t usually the one to frequent this area. You’re normally on the roof across the street.”

“That’s usually true. I see that you frequent this building often enough. I thought I might come join you for once.” Pyrrha told her pleasantly. “I’ve always been curious if you have the better view.”

“I wouldn’t know.” Weiss said with a laugh. “I don’t usually come up here to see the sights.”

“I hope I haven’t interrupted anything important.”

“Oh no, nothing of the sort. I was merely trying to organize my free time so that it wouldn’t be so haphazard and hectic. Unfortunately it isn’t going according to plan.” Weiss told her, closing up the small planner that she had been making notes in. “Please have a seat and join me. There’s no need to stand on ceremony.”

“No, I suppose there isn’t.” Pyrrha agreed, taking off her shoes so as not to dirty the soft cloth further than the concrete already did. “Might I ask what has you so busy?”

“Classes of course, although Ruby has been rather insistent that we bond as a team as well. Between classes, our current detention schedule, and remedial finals coming up I don’t see where we have the time to be loafing around.” At this, Weiss sighed. “I’ve only just gotten used to the fact that Yang and Ruby don’t seem to follow a strict schedule. Blake doesn’t either, but she keeps to herself enough that her timetable isn’t nearly as much of an issue. Ruby’s on the other hand…”

“Say no more.” Pyrrha said with a soft smile. “Nora is the same way. It keeps us on our toes.”

“Somehow I doubt that was the topic you wished to discuss.”

“Astute as always. I made something of a discovery tonight. I was hoping to get your personal opinion on the matter.”

“Oh?”

“That’s the reason I came to speak with you. I was hoping you might provide a bit of valuable insight.” At this Pyrrha turned her gaze skyward to the broken moon and shimmering stars. “I had always suspected it, but my thoughts were confirmed to be true. Jaune is the actual  _ Jaune Arc _ , the youngest male in the Arc line. The selfsame Arc line that has been in service to the people for generations.”

Weiss frowned at that. “I do hope you’re joking,” she said, not even wanting to consider that it might be true. “I thought his name was merely a coincidence. It is a common last name you know.”

“It is absolutely true.” Pyrrha said seriously, turning to Weiss to meet her gaze. “I would never think to make an idle joke about that. It’s really him. He really does look like his great-grandfather, you know.”

Pyrrha’s honest expression was hard to ignore, and Weiss had never known her to be deceitful. The heiress tried to recall what she knew about the blond man’s family. Even while mentally categorizing every prominent family she knew, she came up short.

“To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t know anything about that.” Weiss replied, thinking more carefully on the topic. She tried to consider the noteworthy upper-middle class families and those with far reaching connections. It still didn’t help. “My father only takes notice of wealthy people, and the Arc family may be large but they’re relatively new money. There isn’t anyone in that family of a noble station in Atlas. They might be famous among huntsmen, but they’re so large at this point that many family members slip through the cracks.”

“Oh, I didn’t even consider that.” Pyrrha murmured, crossing one arm under the other and resting her chin in her palm. “I thought that their rather long history would be enough for the Schnee family to take notice of.”

“My father likely wouldn’t think of it. They’re mostly commoners. Are you absolutely sure that Jaune is one of them?” Weiss asked, still having trouble believing it herself. “He hardly acts the type.”

“He told me so. He even did it in a way that made the matter quite indisputable.” Pyrrha’s heart ached at the thought of it. “Weiss, may I ask you something personal?”

“Yes, you certainly may...” Weiss trailed off slowly. “Although, depending on the question I might choose not to give you an answer.”

“Do you ever feel that families with such a long history are burdensome to the future generations?” Pyrrha wondered that. Technically, she was considered new money too. A title often doled out to those who had only recently come into fortune. Even so, her wealth was quite small when compared to that of others. “Or rather, I suppose I truly want to ask if you have ever felt burdened by the feats of your ancestors.”

“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t feel that way…”

“Truly?”

“The thought crosses my mind more than I care to admit.” Weiss said honestly. “However, I doubt that Jaune has the same expectations thrust upon him that I have in my own family.”

“But would he not self-impose that expectation regardless?”

“It’s plausible, family pride doesn’t need to be exclusive to the wealthy. That said, I do believe the wealthy are more prone to it by nature.” At this, Weiss raised a brow. “Does he truly expect to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors?”

“That is the impression that I get….”

“It is a noble cause, I suppose.”

“Ah, yes. Nobility does come to mind, doesn’t it? When it comes to attaining a certain ideal, you two may be more alike than you first appear.” If that was true though, Jaune would be in for a tough time. Pyrrha sighed, wondering just how far he planned to go with this plan of his. “Weiss, I don’t know what to do. He struggles so valiantly, yet he doesn’t even need to do that. Furthermore, the way he seeks to go about those ambitions seems very flawed. How do I help him?”

“Right now, it seems that you can’t. That’s just the way it is.” Weiss told Pyrrha after a long moment of silence. “With the feats of my forbearers always in my mind, I try my best to reach at least that far. If what you say is true, this is the natural order of things. We all go through a phase like this. For some of us we go through it several times. Jaune will eventually learn that in order to reach any level of successes he won’t be able to do it alone.”

“You speak from personal experience on this matter?”

“When I was young, my older sister sought to help me with my semblance. I declined the offer.”

“Why would you do something as silly as that?”

“I was just a child.” Weiss told Pyrrha honestly, a longstanding regret planted firmly within her voice. “I thought my accomplishments would be riding off of the back of her own. I didn’t want that to happen. However, my training eventually hit a wall. I could use my aura effectively, but not my semblance. I accepted her help after that, but I am still stunted when compared to her. To this day, I still don’t have complete control the way she does.”

“I didn’t realize it was so difficult for you…”

“Our mother taught Winter everything she knows. When it was time for me to learn, our mother couldn’t teach me.” Weiss said with a small shrug. The Schnee semblance was a complicated one. It needed a sound mind in order to control it. Her mother was simply not healthy enough to do that sort of training anymore. Weiss had intended to do her own training without help, but she quickly learned that it simply wasn’t possible. “I was not only in his position. I have been in yours too.”

“May I ask with who?”

“My younger brother is going through a similar phase right now.” Weiss said gently. “He refuses to accept the help that Winter and I have continually offered. He chooses to reach his own greatness completely on his own. As a result his aura is unusable, and he has no control over our family semblance. He is not a competent duelist in any way. This is why I can tell you for a fact that Jaune will probably need to learn his lesson the hard way.”

“Do you believe he will?”

“He will because he must. Otherwise he will never be a huntsman. Instead he will be nothing but a failure.” Weiss said, her voice edging on chilly. “He will realize this, Pyrrha, trust me. Once he does, you’ll be able to help. Until then, you’re powerless. You’ll just have to wait.”

That idea was wholly unsatisfactory, and Pyrrha wished Weiss could have offered something better. Yet, as she sat under the night sky, she realized the value of the advice Weiss gave, hoping that waiting matters out would be enough.

* * *

While Pyrrha was having her own chat with Weiss, Jaune suffered his own conversation with Cardin. Just as soon as Pyrrha disappeared behind the thick metal door, Cardin had climbed up to the roof. The stronger man had pinned Jaune into a headlock, and called him a friend. The way he said it was insidious, and Jaune knew he had gotten himself into major trouble.

Blackmail was an intimidating thing.

Pyrrha would have never told a soul about fake transcripts. She wasn’t that sort of person. She would have kept it to herself. He could trust that, because Pyrrha seemed to want the best for him. She even wanted to be part of it.

Cardin wasn’t a nice person. He would do anything in his power to rise the ranks at the academy using as little effort as possible. Even if he needed to ruin other people to do it, Cardin didn’t care. He was too self-absorbed to worry about other people like that. Cardin made it clear, in no uncertain terms. All Jaune needed to do was listen to him. If the blonde man did as he was told, everything would be fine. Cardin promised that if he got his way, he wouldn’t say a word.

In return, Jaune needed to be his lackey, bowing to Cardin’s every whim. That was the price for silence.

Jaune took the deal. He had no other choice. Now, with two full essays to write and plenty of anxiety on his shoulders Jaune made his way to the library. First he had to read the seemingly endless pages in the textbook. Then he needed to write down two completely different essays based on the information so that they wouldn’t get caught. He had to disguise his handwriting for the same reason. With every line he wrote, he hated himself. Once again, he felt like a failure.

For the second night in a row, he barely got any sleep.

* * *

A new day greeted the students with a downpour of rain and canceled classes. A storm raged through the area, high winds sending leaves flying off of their branches and wayward trash rolling around on the ground. It had begun before dawn’s first light with a smattering of rain and thunder in the distance. At first it seemed like a typical storm, but then advisories began to drift in from the nearby villages that it wasn’t a gentle rainfall.

An hour before the cafeteria even opened for the day, classes had been terminated. Students were ordered to stay in their rooms, being told that breakfast would be coming to them when it became available. When mealtime came, the breakfasts hadn’t arrived yet. Lightning flashed in the sky as the lights at the academy flickered once more. They had been doing it all morning, but that last flicker was the last straw. 

Yang looked up at the ceiling when the bulb finally flashed a few more times before going out entirely. The room cast into darkness by the black clouds and power outage.

“Great.” Yang complained as the video game on the screen died an inglorious death. “Now what are we going to do?”

“Not that I guess.” Ruby muttered as the dim emergency lights low on the wall came to life. They were held together by a much smaller power supply, but those lights didn’t make for the usual comforts of a well-lit room. “Breakfast still isn’t here either. Do we have any snacks?”

“Nope, nothing worth eating, anyway.” Yang said unhappily looking down at the empty snack bags in the trash. “We could go bug team JNPR. Ren probably has a stockpile of snacks if Nora hasn’t eaten them.”

“We’re not allowed to leave our rooms right now.” Ruby said, flopping down on the floor where she sat. She rolled onto her belly and sighed into the carpet. “I was hoping they’d contain us to the floor we’re on, not just the room.”

“They probably will after the worst of it passes. That’s always how it was at Signal for the dorm kids.” Yang shrugged, watching as her sibling pushed herself up off the floor. “It probably won’t be this bad all day long.”

“Are you sure about that?” Weiss asked. “The forecast said that we would be at risk for major storms all day.”

“Do storms like this happen often in Vale?” Blake asked, watching the sky turn a dark muddy color. Small bits of hail slapping upon the window uselessly. When the thunder roared for the umpteenth time, she wished she could have worn earplugs.

“They happen more than you would think.” Ruby said as she put away her scroll and the cords that connected to the large screen. After that, she climbed up to her bunk. “We get a few bad ones every year. Classes always end up cancelled when the power goes down.”

“It makes sense, the kingdom’s main infrastructure can be compromised when storms like this put a strain on the equipment. The slightest electrical surge can rupture the dust crystals.” Weiss told them. “For all of our technology, we still haven’t figured out how to stabilize dust in sub-optimal conditions. All attempts we’ve made just doesn’t grant the power we need. In the worst cases it just makes the dust more dangerous to handle.”

“Well, better to be bored out of our minds in here, rather than working out there.” Blake told them, watching as several people were bustling around outside the campus. A bunch of them were carrying supplies to the dormitories. “There are older students running around in that mess. Looks like fourth years.”

“Well they have to deliver the breakfasts and lunches somehow.” Yang shrugged, headed towards the window. “I don’t envy them. Uh, what the hell is Nora doing out there?”

“She’s out there in this mess?” Ruby asked, flying to the window in a flurry of petals. “Oh, wow…”

“That’s one big ass dust crystal…” Yang hissed under her breath. “She’s riding on the damn thing.”

“You’d probably need one that size to power something as big as Beacon Academy.” Blake told them thoughtfully. “Although why she’s out there and we’re all stuck inside is beyond me.”

“If that crystal gets hit with even the smallest electrical current it could shatter and become a health hazard to anyone nearby. That isn’t even to mention that the damage would be catastrophic. According to combat class, Nora’s semblance allows her to absorb electric current.” Weiss said to them, taking what little space was left with all four of them pressed up against the window. She could feel Ruby’s breath ghosting across her neck and shivered slightly at the feeling. “She can act as a ground while they transport the crystal to the utility building. They need to get the power back up before all the rain causes the basements and storage rooms to flood. The pumps can’t run without electricity.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Yang grumbled. “You don’t know what a pain in the ass it is to bail water out by hand until the power comes back on. I can’t tell you how many times the basement almost flooded growing up.”

“This is going to take a while.” Ruby said with a sigh. “Blake, do you have any more candles for the candelabra?”

“Only a few,” the woman replied softly. “I can light them if you want to make it a bit lighter in here.”

“If you do that we can at least play a few games to pass the time.” Ruby told her. “Otherwise we’re just going to be sitting here in the dark.”

“Alright then.” Blake sighed, rummaging around in her drawer. “Pick a game while I try to find the candles.” Frankly she didn’t need them, but she took her time fishing them out of the box, counting what few were left. She would need to buy more soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 5/6/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although this chapter has absolutely nothing to do with it, I wanted to wish all the moms out there who may read this a Happy Mother's Day. Doing your best for your kids and slogging the daily grind no matter what bullshit life throws your way isn't an easy thing, so enjoy your day of celebration. You've earned it.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXII**

Across the hall Ren, Pyrrha and Jaune had been quietly enjoying the day off in spite of the storm. The three of them were taking some time to read while Nora was busy helping with an oversized dust crystal that needed to be moved. With the advantage of the unusual amount of quiet time that had been provided to them, they’d each found something placid to do.

Ren was meditating on his bed, Pyrrha was doing some light studying, and Jaune was sorting his vast comic book collection. On any other day, it would have been a peaceful morning.

Jaune let out a long sigh as his scroll displayed another order from Cardin. With it came a list of work for several classes. It sat lingering in his inbox waiting for him to respond. He hesitated at first. Then a second message came along, a foreboding warning that Cardin might be feeling chatty if Jaune forgot his promise. He looked back at the list of things Cardin wanted him to do. Some of the work included classes that Jaune wasn’t even taking. The blond boy could only feel a pang of disappointment, he doubted that he would do well on Cardin’s assignments, let alone his own.

The air was thick with a string of tension and that didn’t help matters either. Pyrrha tried to put away the hurt feelings that Jaune had caused when he turned her offer to help down. In the meantime, he was distracted and constantly eyeing his scroll with an upset expression that he tried to hide. The stormy downpour doing nothing to uplift their spirits.

“Is everything alright, Jaune?” Pyrrha asked, even though she knew that all was not well. The sting of Jaune’s flagrant disregard for school policy nagged at her. Beyond that, she just couldn’t understand why he wanted to keep the burdens of his training to himself. His pride was counter intuitive.

Looking up to see the concerned green eyes of his partner, a wave of guilt turned his stomach. “Yeah, it’s fine.” Jaune told her, his voice cracking only slightly under the weight of her question. “It’s just team leader stuff. I’ve got some things that I still need to do.”

“Does this have anything to do with that packet Mata gave you?” Pyrrha asked him, her voice taking on a small note of curiosity. She needed any small hint of validation she could find, something that told her that he was still the kind and earnest young man that she had sought out during her initiation.

“No, I’ve got other stuff. Although, I’ve got to finish filling out a few of those forms too.” He took the distraction that came to him, praying that it would be enough. “I’ve been putting it off because I don’t really know what to do with them. I’ve got some hard choices to make.”

“Oh?” Ren asked when his own interest in the conversation pulled him from his meditation. He cracked his eyes open slightly. “What sort of decisions?”

At that, Jaune placed away his scroll underneath his pillow before going over to the desk and pulling the packet out of the top drawer. “Well, we’re not allowed to be cleared for missions until I choose someone as a second in command. No field trips either. We’re going to be stuck here until I figure things out. The problem is, I don’t feel like I have the right to pick something like that.”

“What do you mean, Jaune?” Pyrrha asked. She thumbed through the extensive packet, and all of the forms he had already filled out. She glanced at each one, unable to absorb any of them with her full attention as her concerns goaded her in the back of her mind.

“I mean, I didn’t even think I’d be chosen to be a team leader.” Jaune said. “I’m the last person who should be doing this kind of thing.”

Pyrrha bit her lower lip. A bitter, angry part of her mind wanted to agree with him. Doubting him would have been fair, even justified. Deep down, she just couldn’t bring herself to twist his intentions into something malignant. Jaune wanted to be a huntsman. Although he was going about it in the wrong way, she couldn’t just cast that detail aside as though it were meaningless.

“Don’t say that.” Pyrrha finally told him when the war in her mind quieted. Her petty emotions silenced one by one. Trusting him a little came first. Putting aside her hurt feelings was for the best. “Headmaster Ozpin chose you to be our team leader. If he says that it is ultimately your choice to make, then I’m certain he has a very good reason for that.”

“If something happens to me, then it doesn’t matter.” Jaune told her, his messy mop of hair falling into his eyes as he hung his head low. “That’s the whole point of picking a second in command. So that if something happens to me, you guys can still have someone to follow.”

“I’m sure that it’s just a precaution.” Pyrrha told him.

“With the way I am, might as well be an omen.” Jaune said, the humor in his voice darkening to something that even he didn’t want to consider. He cleared his throat and focused on that blank paper. “Let’s face it. I might get hurt or something, all teams need to do this. If that ever happens though, it’s not really my choice, is it?”

Ren thought on this, but shook his head. “You’re wrong about that. We have to trust your judgement. If you left it up to the three of us, there’s no telling what might happen if things go wrong. I’ve seen what happens to villages that lose their headman, the whole village can be thrown into chaos. The best thing you can do is tell us what you want so that we aren’t left guessing.”

“I wouldn’t even know how to pick one of you.” Jaune told him.

“Still, a choice should be made.” Ren told him. “As a team, we may not see eye-to-eye in times of great difficulty. However, if we know what you wanted, we can at least respect that. Making the decision for us takes the burden from our shoulders collectively.”

“He’s right.” Pyrrha agreed, wanting nothing more than to ease the blonde boy and his worries. She was angry with him, but if she didn’t intend to turn him in, he would be her team leader. She needed to honor that. She would do her best to support him. Her own morals would not be compromised simply because her leader did one dishonest thing. 

The world was far more complicated than that. Steadfast morality could be fickle in the face of scrutiny. After all, she had done things in her life she would never be proud of either. What mattered now wasn’t her pain, or Jaune’s mistake. No, what mattered now was what she chose to do with that pain. She wanted to grow from it, to become a better person in spite of it.

“Jaune, you must choose. Ren is right about that. As a team we may have different perspectives. If left to ourselves, it may not be easy to make a decision. Being a team leader must be a difficult responsibility. You’re our leader right now, and only you can decide who would be best to take over if the need arises.”

“I can’t do that. Pyrrha, you have the best rankings, and you’d probably do the best at the leadership seminars. Ren, you’re so calm and you think through everything. You’re the best strategist we have. Nora would put everything she had into it, and she’s always so upbeat. She would do her best to be a good leader. When I think of it like that, all of you would make great team leaders.” Jaune said then. “It’s like picking one is picking a favorite. I don’t want to do that.”

“You disregard your own good qualities.” Ren told him softly. He struggled a bit, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he looked down at his hands. He had to search for the right words, but speech itself failed him. “Nora can be too much for most people to handle. She knows that. Sometimes knowing isn’t enough. You two have never once lost your temper at her, even if she might have deserved it.”

“I’ve never felt as though she’s done anything to upset us intentionally.” Pyrrha said with a tiny shake of her head.

“She’s fun to be around, too.” Jaune added. “Craziness aside…”

“That’s not a common opinion that we come across.” Ren wished that he didn’t have to say it. He wanted to pretend they had an easier upbringing. That he could have lived his entire life in a single place, with friends and family all around him. That comfortable stability had been ripped away from him the day his parents died. “We don’t talk about it because those aren’t pleasant things to think about. Being on this team, we have never once felt less than equal, or that we didn’t belong. That’s not something we can just overlook…” At that, he trailed off.

Pyrrha and Jaune said nothing to this. Ren merely offered a small bitter chuckle to their silence. What could they say, really? They weren’t the kind of people to offer empty platitudes. For that, he was thankful. It would be easy to offer a few simple condolences. In some circles it might even be expected.

His past wasn’t something he could so easily forget. Nora was happy to put it behind her. To simply take every day as it came. She could section off the bad from the good, choosing to take the good and run away with it. Ren tried to do the same, but he knew he was less successful. Without Nora in his life, he doubted he even could. It was her upbeat attitude that kept him going when everything failed him. Explaining those things wasn’t an easy topic, part of him didn’t even want to try. 

Nora simply knew. She understood, and dragged Ren along into her own little world of happiness. She didn’t let his mind linger on all of the terrible realities the world had to offer. Yet, he knew that Nora had her own stories. Many things that kept her up at night. She refused to dwell on them, but one single fact remained true.

“This team has been very good for Nora.” Ren said after one last moment of contemplation. “She’s happier now, and I want to keep it that way. I’ll do anything I can to make that happen. She will too. We will follow your lead, Jaune. No matter what that is. If it’s because you actually care about us, we’re always going to do it. I wish saying that could be a comfort to you, but I know it’s probably just a burden.”

“No, don’t say that. It’s not a burden. It’s just…” Jaune shrugged. He didn’t deserve to be making these choices. It didn’t feel right, but so many things didn’t anymore. “I’ll figure it out, don’t worry.”

* * *

With the power still out on the campus several hours later, a rough knock came at the door. It was sharp and loud, nearly startling the four women of team RWBY out of their seats.

“Who could that be?” Weiss complained, a hand falling over her chest to still her rapidly beating heart. Her cards forgotten and placed face down on the table, she glared at the door. “Talk about a lack of manners.”

“I don’t know who in the hell that is, but I’m about to find out.” Yang said, setting the deck down, her dealing cut short as she got up since she was nearest to the door. On the other side of the door, Coco stood with breakfast in hand. The large white bags had obviously come from the cafeteria.

“Room service,” she said with a grin, pushing passed Yang to plop the meals in the center of the rickety table. “Sorry it’s just breakfast MRE’s today. The ones for lunch and dinner are in there too. Nothing fancy.”

“Thank you for bringing them.” Weiss told her, feeling her stomach growling. She wasn’t used to taking her breakfast so late in the morning. “Please tell me the dust crystal will be affixed to the system soon.”

“No dice on that. We’ve got every electrical semblance user on standby helping get it into place. It’s still a waiting game. The installation team from the power plant hasn’t gotten here yet. All of them are still in Vale getting the other crystals in place.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Weiss replied with a sigh. “What sort of core does Beacon Academy run on?”

“Single core and a back-up, just like all the others. We’re down for the day I’d imagine.” Coco said with a shrug. “Unless you know how to install that god damned thing.”

“I may be proficient in the use of dust, but that’s a bridge too far even for me.” Weiss shot back.

“Know anyone who can?” Coco asked her.

“For a crystal that size?” Weiss asked with a laugh as she shook her head. “Absolutely not. We’re not talking about flipping a few switches in a circuit breaker here. Affixing it to the system is one thing, but I wouldn’t even begin to know how to calibrate it. No two crystals are exactly alike. The smallest error could blow Beacon Academy sky high.”

“Yeah, well then I guess we’ve all got our thumbs up our asses while we wait.” Coco said with a shrug as she pulled out a slender flask. The metal was engraved with the names of her team, a gift she had received during the winter holiday last year. She took a sip, enjoying the smooth burn of a quality bourbon. “So, here’s the deal. You’re being cleared to roam the dorm until this gets sorted out. Second year teams are acting as building security to make sure first years don’t go out there and get hurt. We’ve got Grimm wandering the campus.”

“It’s that bad?” Ruby asked, fidgeting in her seat. She had never heard of Grimm walking around on Beacon grounds before.

“There’s nothing bad about it, just a stray Ursa or two.” Coco said, taking a seat on the nearest bed to Ruby’s chair. “They always come by when the power goes down. We’re so close to the forest that they get attracted to all of the negativity. Port usually catches them to use for training. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Why do I feel like there will be plenty of pop quizzes in the future?” Blake deadpanned, never a fan of seeing a Grimm released into his classroom to run amok.

“Probably because there will be.” Coco told her. “That’s fine with me. It gives us time to talk. As your immediate supervisor I should get to know you guys a little.” She looked around a little, noticing the disorderly room and the makeshift bunk beds. “So, I take it that Ruby doesn’t run a tight ship around here…”

They all looked at each other, none of them knowing quite how to answer. It was a perfect statement in and of itself.

“Should I be?” Ruby asked.

“Only if they need you to do that.” Coco said with a wave of her hand. Then she wagged her scroll that she had pulled from the pocket in her black pants. Cocking her head to the side with a grin she opened it up. “I’ve done some reading up on all of you. Hell of a read, actually,” she said, looking firmly at Blake as she did so. “Now, I’m not at liberty to actually tell you what I did read up on. There’s a lot of personal stuff in your student files, and even then I’m given a redacted version of it. I don’t have everything, just what I need.”

“Well, thank you for respecting our privacy anyway.” Yang said with a shrug. There were probably things on her records that she didn’t want to get out to the public. Then again, she didn’t know what those files really contained for sure. She didn’t want to think about it, either. “So, think we’ve got what it takes?”

“That goes without saying.” Coco told her. “That said, you’re a damn mess. Goodwitch is going to get up my ass about it. You’d better clean up your acts a little.”

“We hit a few snags, but things are better now.” Ruby ducked her head down, feeling more than a little guilty. “It was probably my fault that we got into so much trouble in the first place.”

“Maybe.” Coco told her, looking over to Weiss and then to Blake. “Maybe not.” With another casual sip from her flask she laid a hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “Look if you’ve got it sorted out, that’s all that matters. You’re the leader, it’s your call to make. I don’t run a particularly tight team myself, I don’t need to. This isn’t the Atlas military, and I’m not going to pretend it is. Now then, with that out of the way I want to lay down the law.”

At this, her eyes fell directly onto Weiss. She watched the girl, smirking to herself when Weiss stared her down in return. The girl wasn’t backing down that was for sure. It was amusing, but it was also a slight concern.

“Velvet’s my teammate, but you should know that already. She’s not only that, she’s my girlfriend too. Now, I know that human and Faunus relationships aren’t normal.” Coco said as her gaze shifted over to Blake once more. “I know it’s frowned upon by both sides of the pissing war that Faunus and humans have with each other. Thing is, I don’t rightly give a damn. If any of you have a problem with it, you’ll keep it to yourself. Is that clear.”

“Why would I care who you spend your time with, Coco?” Weiss bit out with a roll of her eyes. “You never seemed to care in the past. You’re the black sheep of every gala my family has ever hosted.”

“That’s why I’m bringing it up.” Coco shot back. “We both know Papa Schnee has an asshole on his face. Let’s not pretend for a second that you actually believe half of the garbage he spews. Regardless, you’re daddy’s little girl. Always have been, always will be. Do us both a favor and keep Velvet’s name out of your mouth when you talk to him. As far as that particular social circle is concerned, Velvet is just my teammate, nothing more. She wants it that way, so for now, that’s how it’s going to stay. You feel me?”

“It’s hardly my business anyway.” Weiss said with a sigh, waving her off.

“Good, glad we have an understanding.” Coco told her.

“We don’t have any problems with Faunus, right guys?” Ruby asked.

“No problems here.” Yang said.

“None here either.” Blake agreed.

“Only the White Fang.” Weiss said softly. Her lips turning into a frown at the anger she felt even thinking about them. “Is Velvet one of them?”

“Velvet?” Coco laughed at that. “Are you kidding? She wouldn’t run around with the likes of them. You don’t have to like her, Schnee. Just don’t be a bitch to her, okay?”

“If she isn’t from the White Fang, we won’t have any problems.” Weiss replied then, rubbing her forehead. Coco gave her a migraine on good days.

“Now then, I’ve got patrols to do.” Coco said as she placed away her scroll and her flask. “My team’s stationed at the rear entrance. Ruby, get your breakfast and then come on down to the back entrance. It’ll be good for you to watch how second year teams work under lockdowns.”

* * *

Ruby did as she was told, eating her breakfast in record time. She got dressed before meeting Coco down by the doors. She didn’t think she would actually be leaving the building, but Coco had other plans.

“I don’t know about this, Coco. I feel like I shouldn’t be out here.” Ruby said as she followed Coco around the perimeter of the building to make sure that no one was trying to sneak out of the windows. The rain had stopped for a spell, but the winds still picked up every now and then. Shaking tree branches lost more leaves as the wind pushed around bits of garbage. “We didn’t even get special permission.”

“If anyone will get into trouble it’ll be me, not you.” Coco told her, gazing up at the building as she walked. The sounds of growling reached her ears, along with the bluster of Professor Port who was currently corralling a small wayward Beowolf that had wandered from its pack. The young ones lacked their white bony plating. They were agile, light on their feet, and sometimes a problem for the older man when he was trying to capture them instead of kill them. “Hey Port, do you want some help over there?”

“The blasted young pup won’t get into the cage,” he hollered back, pounding the young one on the nose when it snarled and tried to bite him. It reeled back, howling and scampering a few feet away. “Hey, you get your furry behind back here this instant.” Professor Port complained while chasing after it.

“Alright, guess we should help.” Coco said with a laugh. “This is a capture situation, not a kill situation. Get it into the cage, and don’t maim it. He’s probably going to use it as teaching material.”

“Why, it’s just a baby?” Ruby asked with an upraised eyebrow as they both headed across the grassy part of the campus. “They’re all over in the forests by my house. I’ve seen them since I was a kid.”

“That’s why, Ruby.” Coco told her. “Small Grimm like that don’t usually come out from the forest. You don’t see them unless you go looking. When you go and clear out dens, they’re everywhere.” They approached the nearby tree where the angry pup had been cornered. The professor was standing at the foot of the tree with an annoyed look on his face. “Hey Port, troublesome little shit, isn’t he?”

“You wouldn’t begin to know the half of it,” he grumbled, turning to the side. “Miss Rose, a pleasure for you to join us, if not a bit unusual…”

“Please don’t be mad.” Ruby murmured, taking a step back behind Coco.

“For the love of God, stop that. He’s not even pissed off.” Coco said, dragging Ruby back in front of the professor. “I’m her mentor, I asked her to shadow me. I figured it would be good training. I told her if anyone would take the blame for this, it would be me,” she explained as the professor nodded along with it. Coco knew where his mind was headed. “Let me guess, I’m getting detention for this, am I right?”

“That would be the general protocol,” the professor muttered to himself before waving his hand idly. “Frankly I don’t agree with it. However, you must remember that rules are rules, Coco. You’ve broken them. Detention is in fact in your future. I must treat my students fairly after all.”

“Eh, no biggie.” Coco shrugged. “Just don’t saddle me with Goodwitch.”

At that he merely nodded before turning his attention to the younger student with a mild shake of his head. “In any case, Miss Rose I see no reason why you should be punished if your mentor shall take the blame. In fact, I would say that this is exactly the sort of gumption I expect of huntresses,” he said to the girl encouragingly. “However, allow me to remind you that truancy is something that we still reprimand here at Beacon Academy. Make sure these situations are a calculated risk you are willing to pay the price for.”

“Yes professor.” Ruby agreed, keeping her head low.

“I admire a huntress willing to learn and able to assist at a moment’s notice,” he went on to say, ignoring the somewhat saddened expression on Ruby’s face. Perhaps a lesson learned, or so he hoped. “This is a bit unorthodox, certainly, but I will allow it. So long as you continue your training with caution and supervision during these times, I see no reason to fault the efforts of a well-placed exercise in crisis control.”

“Yep, that’s me.” Ruby said awkwardly. “Willing and able to learn.”

“Well then ladies, our mission is quite simple.” Peter said then, always willing to use the circumstance to teach when and where possible. With most students safely indoors, and those qualified milling about the campus, he found it an ample opportunity to offer a pop quiz to his young first year student. “We must get that beast into the nearby crate without harming it. Simple evaluation tells us that it is currently up a tree, and several feet away from the enclosure. Threat assessment is minimal. Miss Rose, what would you suggest we do in this situation?”

“Uh, well, it’s just a puppy.” Ruby said, hardly intimidated by a Grimm she saw wandering around almost daily in the forests by her home. “I would just do like my uncle does. I’d grab it by the back of the neck and haul it into the crate.”

At this the professor laughed deep from his belly. “What an odd choice. It would be downright silly if I were to consider it.” Peter told her. “Besides, it’s certainly not something that could be done easily. You would need to be faster than the pup, and more limber to even accomplish it.”

“My semblance is speed.” Ruby added.

“She probably could grab it.” Coco told him. “Actually, now I’d like to see that.”

“Hmm...” Peter grumbled thoughtfully at this, his fingers finding their way to his mustache. He would expect nothing less from the niece of Qrow Branwen. Messy solutions were always in that man’s wheelhouse. If he had taken the girl under his wing, she likely would have gained his dangerous displays on the hunt. “I’d fear we’d make a mess of things that way. It would not be wise.”

“Ya think?” Coco groused out at him. “Might be entertaining though.”

“That might be one word for it. The other might be known as idiocy.” Peter said as he studied Ruby curiously. Then he turned his attention back to the creature in the tree. If it were less vicious, he might have allowed her the dangerous experiment. It could have provided a lesson about youthful idiocy having a time and a place. As it stood, the feral creature wasn’t the sort he’d ever encourage his students to tamper with. “Although, I would question how effective that would be. It would be painful if you were to be nipped, Miss Rose.”

“It can’t bite _ that  _ hard…” Ruby told him.

“Hard enough.” Coco muttered to herself as she elbowed Ruby. “Get your head out of your ass and give a better answer than that.”

“You would underestimate our prey, Miss Rose?” He asked in return.

“There’s nothing wrong with my answer, though. I mean it would hurt, but my family has a huntsman’s dog. He can bite way harder than that Beowolf.” Ruby said pointing to it, namely at the fangs that looked like rivers of blood. “It has red teeth. Those are baby teeth. The bony ones haven’t even grown in yet. A dog with an unlocked aura can do way more damage than that Grimm. That’s why I’d just grab it. Well, actually I’d just kill it, but you asked me not to do that.”

“I fear to know how you have experience with Beowolf bites,” the professor grumbled more to himself than his student. She was quite correct though, an interesting observation in and of itself. He would need to attempt to sway the girl’s thinking. “It would be very troublesome if it got away from you. What is another way, Miss Rose? Something a little less risky perhaps?”

“Uh, I don’t know. Darting it in the butt?” Ruby asked.

“Ah, there you go.” Peter nodded happily. “Tranquilizers are the best method to ensure the safe retrieval of a Grimm without killing it. However, I am currently out of them. I was just about to retrieve more when I came across this creature. Miss Rose, does your weaponry allow for tranquilizing rounds?”

“Nope.” Ruby said with a shrug. “Just high impact dust rounds and sniper bullets.”

“That is something to consider in your future, Miss Rose. Non-lethal methods of containing Grimm are just as important as lethal ones,” he said with a nod before turning to his other student. “Coco if you would please do the honors.”

“On it.” Coco said, weapon in hand and tranquilizing rounds located in a small pocket. She loaded her gun with the uncapped darts, taking aim and firing the shots. Two of the rounds made it into the beast as it leapt away from the tree and began scampering away.

“And now to follow it,” he said, jogging off in pursuit of the young pup. “Come along, we mustn’t dawdle.”

* * *

The power managed to come back on late in the evening. With the few wandering Grimm captured and the power to the school up and running again, Weiss and Yang headed to the locker rooms to change into their workout attire.

Weiss was no stranger to the occasional soreness that came as part of her training. However that had been something that she exclusively regulated to combat training. As Yang had proven, rigorous physical fitness could in fact leave a sizable strain on the body. As Weiss began training underused muscle groups she valued her time of respite even more than she thought possible.

She flinched when her shoulder began to twinge uncomfortably as she lifted her arm over her head to remove her shirt. This prompted Yang to take a closer look at the abused muscle in question.

“Yang, I’m fine.” Weiss protested, pulling away when she felt those calloused fingers drifting across her back.

“I doubt that, now stay still and let me see,” she replied, her fingers running firmly over the pale right shoulder in front of her. Weiss was left-handed. Her right side was weaker by default, and more prone to go underutilized. The muscles and joints were tense and needed more rest.

“This isn’t necessary.” Weiss insisted when the point of contact between them persisted. There was something pleasant about Yang’s insistence. It felt good, a simple fact that Weiss refused to dwell on for any length of time.

“Nope, do you feel that?” Yang asked, pressing deep into the muscle. She could tell that a knot was forming. A product of sitting in poor postures all day while confined to the dormitory.

“It’s hard not to, Yang.” Weiss huffed in a single breath. “I’ll have you know that it isn’t truly painful.”

“I don’t care.” Yang said. “It’s not good either way. You’re taking the day off from weight training.”

“I don’t need to, really.” Weiss shot back, but in truth there were a great many things that she didn’t need to be reminded of. Notably, that the brawler could be as soft as she was strong. The detail was hard to ignore, particularly with those powerful fingers pressing into her skin in all the right ways. 

“I don’t like how tense that muscle is. Go soak it and try to relax.” Yang told her.

“If I do that it’ll ruin the routine we’ve set up.”

“If you don’t get it fixed up now, you might get hurt.” Yang said. “You need to listen to your body, Weiss. Your body needs to be able to handle the abuse you put it through. That isn’t going to stop you from toning up. I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“I do.” Weiss said, pulling away from the fingers that continued to slip across her skin. With her back still turned and one arm still covering her breasts, she sighed. “I have no intention of looking like you do, I just want a little definition, that’s all.”

“Then you need to take it slow and really put the effort into taking care of your weaker muscles.” Yang told her. “Your right shoulder will always be weaker than your left by default. Lifting weights is going to take some getting used to. Also, you’re way more limber than I am, and when you’re too flexible you can overuse your joints.”

“May I actually get dressed now?”

“Yeah, in your swimsuit. Hit the hot tub. Either that or go stand under the shower, but get that muscle loosened up before combat class tomorrow. You’re no good in a fight if you’re that tense.”

Weiss turned to her locker, collecting the Beacon issued one piece suit. Slipping off her panties she quickly got dressed. Meanwhile, Yang also began to put on her own swimming suit. “You’re not weight lifting today?” She asked when Yang slipped her own shirt over her head and also began to undress.

“Nope, I’m skipping out today. I’m going to do a few laps in the pool just for the fun of it, and then join you.” Yang told her simply. “The chlorine is killer on my hair but swimming is a great full body workout. I’d rather be swimming in open currents, but Beacon’s training center just can’t match the currents of the actual open water.”

“The facilities are rather robust, they do have training pools.”

“Yeah but it’s different.” Yang told her. “When you’re in open water it’s colder so your aura compensates. You also need to factor in the aquatic Grimm. There aren't any big ones near Patch. Just small schools of fish Grimm. So long as you’re not swimming in the deep water, you’d probably never see them. They’re good training fodder. They have a nasty bite though.”

“I’ve never considered training that way.”

“Fighting in water isn’t the same as fighting on land. In advanced water combat you can actually use your aura to keep you on the surface of the water completely, but that kind of training takes years to get right. If you don’t have a crap ton of aura you’ll never be able to do it. The only huntsman I’ve seen able to do it was my dad, and only for a few seconds at a time. He never did master that training.”

“Are your gauntlets waterproof?”

“No way.” Yang laughed then. “I fight unarmed, but the fish are small. One punch with my semblance kicked in normally handles it. We’ll all need modified waterproof weapons sooner or later, but I don’t think that training really begins until our second year at Beacon.”

“I must admit, I’m not the most advanced swimmer. The most I’ve ever swam in was a luxury indoor pool.” Weiss said as she closed her locker with a large towel in hand. “It isn’t advisable to swim in the northern waters. The temperatures are inhospitable at best, and the Grimm there are no laughing matter.”

“The colder and deeper the water is, the bigger the Grimm get.” Yang just nodded, shrugging the straps of her swimsuit over her shoulders as she slammed her own locker closed. “Sometimes big Grimm wander in from the deeper seas, but Vale is well protected by sea fairing huntsmen. They don’t usually get close to land. I’m sure Atlas probably has the same sort of measures in place.”

“You would think that, but that’s far from the truth. Atlas has wonderful defenses, but in many ways they continue to be underutilized.” Weiss said as they both exited the locker room and rinsed themselves off near the open showers by the pool. “It’s simply politics, nothing more.”

Yang just shrugged at that. “It sounds a little assholian to me. Whatever floats your boat, I guess.”

It was a brutally honest assessment, bluntly placed and without remorse. Weiss could hardly avert her gaze as Yang finished rinsing off and dove into the pool. The blonde was too graceful, all of her bluster unable to match up with the rest of her. The siblings on her team were impossible enigmas.

It was as captivating as it was infuriating, and Weiss forced herself to rip her gaze away and go soak in the hot water nearby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 5/10/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do hate this chapter, but the content was required so here we are (yes, it's a slog in some parts, that's the nature of the beast). Thankfully, The next chapter is *NOT* total crap, and far more enjoyable.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc II: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXIII**   
  


A new dawn, a new day, but the same tiresome grind of homework and classes left Jaune exhausted. He had two sets of assignments to do now, the price to pay for Cardin’s silence. In the early light of the morning hour, Jaune was the first to wake.

Smuggling the packet of homework out of the room, he headed for Cardin’s to give him the completed assignments. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt, knowing that his team would wonder where he had gone so early in the morning. They had to be catching onto him. Cardin stayed in a room on the upper floor in the same building. It was the oldest dorm building that Beacon had.

The older students were given nicer ones. They enjoyed larger rooms, on-suite bathrooms, and more comfortable common areas. Elevators made commuting between floors easier to do. The fourth year dormitory was the smallest, but it was by far the most coveted. He had heard stories about them. Each of their rooms came complete with a living area equipped with a kitchenette, and two small bedrooms. It felt more like a home, and less like a dorm. It even had a few outdoor patios complete with fire pits that were kept lit late into the night on weekends.

Best of all, in Jaune’s personal opinion, was that it even sat next to the apartments on campus that housed traveling huntsmen and the staff at the academy. Some of the professors frequented that dorm. They visited the common areas, and spoke far more casually with their students. It was the height of luxury for an academy that held so little of it.

From one of the nearby windows he caught sight of the plush outdoor seating and open grill where several students had gathered to share a meal around the warm fire. Many of them had shucked their shirts, laying them nearby to dry near the roaring fire. With their weapons equipped and packs strewn around, it was clear that they were enjoying a short respite after a long morning of hard work. Professor Oobleck was there, a hamburger in hand as he emphatically gestured at some form of map that Jaune couldn’t quite make out from the distance.

The dormitory he lived in had none of those luxuries. It was comfortable and sustainable to live in. Even so, Jaune couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of the older students. There was no such space to entertain in the first and second year dorms, no eager visits from the teachers. Only a few common areas that teams shared, vending machines, mail room, and the communal bathrooms shared by the floor. The bathing areas were the only spaces that truly separated the men from the women.

Looking away from the sight he coveted, he finally finished climbing the staircase and walked down the hall to Cardin’s room. Knocking, he waited until the man opened the door, clad in little more than a pair of boxers as he leaned heavily on the door frame.

“Jaune, just the guy I wanted to see.” Cardin said to him. “Did you get my text?”

“Yeah, um, I did the best I could,” he said, handing over the assignments that he managed to finish. “These are from the classes we share. I don’t have all of the books I need for the other stuff.”

“That’s all taken care of.” Cardin said, dragging Jaune into the messy dorm room where Cardin’s team were equally under-dressed. He slammed the door closed behind him, one arm falling over Jaune’s shoulders. “Make yourself at home, man. My desk is over there. Everything you need should be on it. If you finish in enough time, I’ll even give you a beer for your trouble.”

“You have beer in the dorm?” Jaune asked, feeling like he just stepped into a snake pit.

“You’re damn right I do.” Cardin said with a laugh, the grin on his face almost seemed nice. “We’re friends now, Jaune. You stick with me and do what I tell you, and you’ll be on easy street. I can make it so that you never have to worry about getting a license again. All you need to do is wait it out. In four years that license will be in your hand no matter how bad you do.”

“H-how is that even possible?” Jaune stammered, he had never had a beer in his life. The closest thing he had ever been given to a proper drink was a small sip of whiskey his dad let him try when he was sixteen. He hadn’t liked the taste, spluttering the second the harshness hit his tongue. That was probably why his dad had even let him try it. He didn’t want to start drinking, to him it didn’t even taste good. “There are rules here, and we’re under age. How did you even buy it?”

“I have my ways, don’t you worry. For the lowlifes, sure there’s rules. They can’t let just anyone be a huntsman you know.” Cardin shrugged. “It’s not the same for guys like us. We have a calling, we’re born for it. I’ve got family in high places. You don’t need to bust your ass. You just got to do enough to prove to me that you’re worth my time. If you do that, you’ll have your license,” he said, patting Jaune on the chest before shoving him towards the desk. “I may not be many things, but I’m a man of my word. You just go ahead and keep yours.”

Jaune looked at the sloppy desk and the books stacked on top of it. It was left dusty and with curse words carved into the wood. Jaune didn’t want to stay. If he tried to leave, Cardin would probably try to beat him senseless. Feeling trapped in more ways than one, Jaune sat down at the desk and got to work.

* * *

It was hard for Jaune’s team not to notice his absence during the usual gatherings. He would make his excuses and head off on his own for long stretches at a time. They knew he seemed to be speaking with Cardin more often. The two boys kept passing notes and discussing things under their breath. He would go to Cardin’s dorm for a visit, although he never explained why he was going there to begin with.

Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren were starting to get worried. However, Cardin hadn’t tried to torment Jaune during the last few times they had crossed paths. Pyrrha wanted to hope that they had come to an understanding. Ren believed that Jaune was merely busy with something he wished to keep personal. Nora didn’t think much of it at all, choosing not to think too hard about the matter.

She worried too, of course. Eyeing the clock just like Ren and Pyrrha when Jaune would come home late. Affixing him with the same quiet concern when he brushed them all off with another one of his fake smiles. Nora knew a thing or two about those. She was a master of them.

Everyone had their stories. A few dark things that they didn’t want to talk about. She had plenty of her own. So, when he came in late again and dressed for bed with another false smile on his face, she bit down on her original question and wished him goodnight. She rolled over and went back to sleep, but the next morning he was already the first one up, dressed, and gone.

“He’s gone again.” Pyrrha noted sadly as she sat up in bed. Her nightgown slipping down one shoulder as she adjusted it from a fitful night’s rest.

“I bet he’s okay.” Nora said simply when she noticed Pyrrha’s sad expression. “He’s probably just doing more work to bring up his grades.”

“We don’t know that, Nora.” Pyrrha sighed at length.

“You’re right, but what we do know is that Jaune doesn’t seem to want to bother us.” Nora said as she sat cross-legged beneath her own blankets. “We should probably respect that.”

“For how long?” Pyrrha wondered then. “How long will this go on before he realizes we’re worried about him?”

Nora knew how to put on a brave face for the sake of others, and that was why she kept her mouth shut. She wanted to ask what kept him out so late. She wanted to pull him aside and ask him what was really bothering him. It could be anything, and she had to admit that she was curious. Yet, for every one of those fake little smiles, she bit down her questions and buried them away. People only smiled like that when they didn’t want to be helped.

“That’s a silly question. Jaune probably knows that we’re worried.” Nora said with a little roll of her eyes and a tiny grin. “It’s just… I don’t think he wants to talk about it. It might be personal. He’s doing stuff on his own for some reason.”

“It may be far more complicated than that…” Pyrrha replied.

“Maybe, but if we dog him too much, he’ll probably leave even more. We’ve got to believe that he’ll be fine.” Nora said, climbing out of bed and clapping Pyrrha on the shoulder. Then she reached up to the shelf nearby, shoving the woman’s small basket of toiletries into her hands. “Come on, let’s go hit the showers before they all get swamped and we need to wait in line.”

“Shouldn’t we wake Ren up first?”

“Nah, let him sleep. The girls take forever, but the guys are in and out. He’s got time.”

“You’re right.” Pyrrha agreed as she was almost pushed from the room by Nora’s exuberance. Their uniforms were merely a luckily remembered afterthought.

* * *

Ruby had been ready to think it would be another boring afternoon at Beacon Academy. Yang was working on her semblance training with Professor Peach, and Blake was curled up with a good book. Weiss was in an unusually bad mood, demanding to be left alone. Ruby had tried to melt that icy exterior, but quickly stopped that attempt when Weiss grew more agitated by Ruby’s curiosity.

Just as the fearless leader was about to change out of her uniform, Coco came slamming against the door unannounced to retrieve her.

With the packet of papers from the leadership seminar in her hand, the deadline to return them was fast approaching. Coco took Ruby back to her own room so they could work on them in peace. There would be a field trip to Forever Fall soon, and if team RWBY wanted to attend their first learning experience off campus, Ruby had to finish them.

First, she needed to decide who to place as second in command. She thought long and hard about it, but finally settled on her sister. She chose Yang because she trusted her to do the right thing. She hoped that the blond would be an adequate leader in her place, taking the teachings they had grown up with and applying them in practice.

It had been a difficult decision, though. Weiss was probably the most qualified academically, but Blake definitely had more experience out in the wilds. Ruby wondered what might happen if they had another fight. It was ultimately that fear that led her to choose Yang. Choosing a leader that didn’t get along with everyone might turn out to be a problem. Weiss and Blake were working things out, but that didn’t mean that they’d still work together if things went bad. 

She was worried enough that her own skills were lacking, and didn’t want to put her team in a bad position. Yang was her sister, and that bond beat out the fact that Weiss was intelligent beyond belief and that Blake knew how to survive in the wilds. Yang could use those skills, ask for help, and rally the team together. Even if she felt that Yang was the best choice, she couldn’t help the twinge of hesitation she felt.

“Coco?”

“Yeah?”

“How did you choose between your teammates when you were picking someone to write down?”

“I didn’t think about it at all, really.” Coco said with a shrug. “I’ve got an easy team, they got along from day one. Fox can be an asshole sometimes, but if that’s the worst thing I have to deal with it’s a damn good day.” She told the girl. “I picked Velvet at first, but once we started dating I switched the assignment to Yatsuhashi.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“But why would you do that?”

Coco sighed then, finding those silver eyes looking at her. It nearly reminded her of a lost puppy. “It’s kind of complicated. Basically, Faunus have different ways of expressing themselves sometimes. They don’t do well if something bad happens to a loved one.”

“Does anyone though?” Ruby asked. “I mean, I don’t think I’d be in a good place either if someone I cared about got hurt.”

“Hey, I hear you. If something ever happened to Velvet, I don’t know what I would do. It’s never really come up.” Coco told her. “It’s a little different for Velvet, though. Whenever I get so much as a scratch, she’s on my ass in a heartbeat. Mata told me once that most Faunus are like that, but it made me realize that if I was ever really down for the count, she would have enough to deal with. So, to get the burden off of her shoulders I switched it up.”

“Do you think if I picked my sister, it would be the right thing to do?”

“I don’t know. Hell, I don’t even think there is a right choice in all of this. You’ve got to pick someone, though. That’s just the way it is.”

Ruby only nodded, looking back at the packet. Yang was probably the best choice for now, maybe the only one that made sense for the time being. When she signed her name at the bottom of the page and turned to the next section of the packet she felt her heart clench as more decisions needed to be made.

“You can skip those for now.” Coco said once Ruby’s anxiety showed clearly across her face. “That’s to decide on a field medic, it’s for second year students only. You can tell because of the icon stamped in the corner. You skip those pages. You’ll all have med classes soon, so you won’t choose someone to take the advanced stuff until second year.”

“Okay…” Ruby said, doing as she was told. This next page was about attire requests. “Um… We already have combat gear. This form was already on all the stuff we filled out when we first got to Beacon.”

“You can enforce that your team wears a certain type of armor.” Coco said, lifting up her shirt in the comfort of her own dorm room to show off a dust infused sports bra that covered the entirety of her chest with an added layer of protection. “Can’t buy these things in stores, you’ve got to be fitted. It’s not a requirement, but sometimes people ask for them. They’ve got vests, pull over tops, a few kinds of bottoms for men and women. You can get a body suit style too, but those are way less popular.”

“If they wanted that stuff, wouldn’t they have ordered it themselves?”

“Yeah, but you’re the leader.” Coco told her with a mild shrug. “You can’t order them not to wear reasonable protective gear, but if you don’t feel they’re protected enough you can order them to be fitted for more of it. They can’t refuse without a good reason or they’ll be dropped from Beacon.”

“Should I order this stuff?” Ruby asked. “Does it help?”

“It depends what you’re facing up against,” she said casually. “The dust won’t stop a bullet, and anything with enough force will get through it anyway. Mine is still just a bra at the end of the day. It might keep a few Ursa from ripping into you if they take a swipe, though. Velvet’s the only one that has complete under-armor on my team. I only use the bra sets because she asked me to. As a leader, it’s your call to make. You can always leave it blank and order some later.”

“I’ll just do that, then.” Ruby said turning the page and coming to another strange sheet. “My team seems to be outfitted well enough.”

“Says the chick who fights in skirts…”

“I like skirts.” Ruby said.

“Suit yourself.” Coco shrugged as Ruby turned the page. “Oh, that’s for third year. See, there’s a different symbol in the corner. Bypass it.”

“What is it for?” Ruby asked, looking at the long list of blank lines to place names.

“In second and third year, you start going on squad missions, meaning that more than one team is sent to a location. In second year, the professor in charge will choose the teams that build up the squad. In your third year, you can choose to make your own formation.” Coco explained, flipping the page for Ruby. “Here this one is important. These are team war effort papers.”

Ruby looked down at the several page contract. “Um, do I just sign my name?”

“Only if you want to.” Coco said to her. “Think real hard before you do. Talk it over with your team, and read it over carefully. That says if a major conflict happens you might be interested and willing to go to war as a student of Beacon Academy in service to Vale. Basically if you sign that thing, be ready to get a call from Goodwitch because she’s going to sit your entire team down and really explain what you’re thinking about getting into. If you’re still up for it, you each sign official documents.”

“If I’m a huntress, won’t that happen anyway after I graduate?”

“Only if you sign your services over to the kingdom. Vale isn’t like Atlas. Beacon Academy doesn’t feed directly into the military. We don’t have a set number of years of service after graduation.” Coco sighed at length at that, finding a cigarette and lighting it slowly. “Obviously they’re going to try and recruit the crap out of you, but remember you can always tell them to fuck off.”

“They’ve forced people to fight in the past.”

“Well, yeah there’s always a draft.” Coco said with a soft laugh. “Don’t worry, kid. We haven’t actually seen one of those since the Great War. The world would need to start shitting itself before that happens in Vale.”

“I think I’ll just leave that one alone too, then. Who knew being a team leader would be so hard?” Ruby asked.

“We’re just getting started. Just put a big mark at the top of the page to show that you didn’t ignore it and move on. You’ll like this next one.” Coco grinned, flipping to the next page. “Let’s talk about weapon augmentation. These things here, you rip out of the packet and pass them to your team.”

“Hey, this is Crescent Rose…” Ruby said as she looked down at the schematic she had turned in earlier in the year. “All of our weapons are here.”

“Yep, sometimes we get a good idea, but we don’t know how to implement it. Students can ask the research and development staff to pitch one new suggested schematic for their weapons every year based on the changes they’ve asked for.”

“Really?!” Ruby asked excitedly. “That has to be crazy expensive.”

“I guess so.” Coco said in agreement, although she wasn’t sure just how much that would cost the academy. She suspected it was a rather large amount of money. “Anyway, if they ask for help, they’ll get a suggested schematic sent to them. If they like the new design, you have to approve it. If you do, you can send the appeal to the headmaster for approval. If you get that, the department will send you the things you need to upgrade your gear, all expenses paid by the academy.”

Ruby’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the small sets of schematics found on the next several pages. “You’ve got to be kidding…”

“Nope, it’s real.” Coco told her, laughing a little as Ruby nearly bounced in the seat. She ruffled the girl’s hair, amused by her excitement. “Try not to go ham on the damn schematics, but it’s a thing.” A thought came to mind. “Give me yours for a sec, we’re going to fix up that weapon of yours to take tranquilizing rounds.” Coco said, grabbing a pen and scribbling down a few more suggestions of her own. “There, now don’t forget to turn all of this stuff in.”

“I won’t.” Ruby said, collecting the sheets. “I should probably go do that, huh?”

“Yeah, probably.” Coco told her. “You don’t want to be benched for your first field trip.”

* * *

Jaune should have finished his assignments hours ago. Instead, he looked like he was still hard at work. Pyrrha had gone searching for him, finding him in the place she last left him when he claimed he still had work to do. Crossing her arms over her chest, she had a few choice words she wanted to level at him. Yet, seeing him yawn snuffled out that fury quickly. She couldn’t help but wonder why he was busy working so late.

Cardin passed by, looming over Jaune to say something that the blonde boy must have agreed upon. Then Cardin left and Jaune put his hands to his face nearly wilting into the chair. That managed to get her attention, and she couldn’t help but feel like something was terribly wrong. Something that she must have overlooked before. She made her way over to him, grabbing a water bottle from the nearby refreshment counter before setting it on the desk and startling him.

“Jaune, do you have any idea what time it is?” She asked as he scrubbed at his eyes and buried whatever it was that he was fixated on. “You should be back at the dorm with the rest of us getting some sleep.”

“There’s no time for sleep.” He told her. “I have studying to do.”

“I’m no stranger to all-night study sessions. I know all about the effort and drive it takes to maintain good grades. This is quite clearly something else, and I demand to know what is going on. That isn’t your notebook.”

Jaune looked down at the notebook that wasn’t his. It was easy to tell the difference. All of his notebooks were covered in comic book icons and other bits and pieces of his favorite media. Cardin’s weren’t. “It belongs to Cardin. He’s letting me borrow his notes.”

“That would be believable if it weren’t for one small detail.” Pyrrha told him softly in disappointment. “Cardin’s grades are about the same as yours. If you’re seeking to improve he would be the last person you should ask for class notes. What’s really going on Jaune? No more lies, I want the truth.”

“You’d just hate me if I told you.” Jaune told her quietly.

Pyrrha grabbed the notebooks off of the table. “I am going to the roof. If you want these returned to you, I expect you to meet me there with at least a few honest answers,” she turned on her heel, walking at a fast pace, wondering if Jaune would make a move or not.

She heard his chair slide across the floor moments later as he gave chase. He called after her, but she refused to stop. The conversation would be on her terms. She made sure of it. She walked faster, and so did he as they made it up the winding staircases. Pyrrha kept ahead of him. When he began to jog, she began to run. When he ran after her, she bolted as fast as she could until she pushed beyond the metal doors. Jaune fell over his own two feet as he reached the rooftop soon after.

“Well?” She asked quietly, her voice edging on a mix of concern for his well-being and her growing annoyance. “What are you up to, Jaune?”

“He heard us, okay?” Jaune wheezed as he sprawled out on the rooftop. “He heard us talking, and he knows what I did. He said he’d keep quiet if I did what he wanted.”

“Blackmail?” Pyrrha whispered seething. “Jaune, you must be joking.” She didn’t know what made her more infuriated. The fact that Cardin would stoop so low, or that Jaune allowed it.

“I’m not,” he said quietly. “See I told you that you’d hate me. I knew it.”

“You don’t know a thing!” Pyrrha noticed the tone of her voice, the near shouting match that could have become of it. She sighed, releasing all of her anger into it to cool her temper. Anger was not an emotion she tackled well, it came to her so rarely she was never quite sure how to face it. Shouting would never be useful, that she knew. She had to bring her voice back down to a reasonable level. “Jaune, I don’t hate you, but this is completely asinine.”

“Welcome to my life,” he said to her. “I always end up making a mess of things somehow.”

“You should have told me.”

“Why, so you could be mad like this?”

“So that I could help you do something about it.”

“I don’t want your help.” Jaune shot back, pushing himself off the ground. “Don’t you get it? You’ve got to get away from me. If you get too involved in this, you’ll only get dragged down too. If the school finds out, I’m out of here. Expelled. Gone. Everything I’ve ever wanted ruined in a single instant.”

“That doesn’t matter to me.”

“You’ll throw your whole life away, don’t you get that?”

“That isn’t true!” Pyrrha shot back, biting at her lip as her frustration mounted to an all-time high. “Don’t you see? My license means nothing to me if it isn’t something I’ve earned. It isn’t just about you, Jaune. It’s a matter of principle, of ideology!” She couldn’t accept anything less for herself. “I have power bestowed upon by my fame, a power I never once imagined I would be given. Yet, here it is, in my hands. If I choose to disregard that now, it would be a disservice to myself, and everything I stand for.”

Sometimes there was only one way to deal with a huntsman, she had told him that time and time again. Now, it seemed that he too was in need of that lesson, learning the hard way because there seemed to be no other way to get the point across. She found herself pushing forward, hard enough to slam him into the wall, a deep frown darkening her features as she looked him directly in the eyes. Brilliant green meeting those of soft blue.

“You’re never going to be a huntsman unless you learn to stand up for yourself,” she told him, her hot voice ghosting across his face. She hated this more than she had ever hated it before. Battles over ideology should be spirited at least, but Jaune held no such spirit in his eyes. She was so close, too close for comfort. “This is unbecoming of a huntsman.”

“What do you want me to do, push back?” He asked hotly as his own glare finally reached his face.

“Yes!”

“There’s no point to do that,” he said, his voice cracking as he looked down to the ground. “I can’t, you’re my partner, Pyrrha.”

“That’s all the more reason to fight. You don’t even fight back, there’s not even any fight left in you. It’s as if you don’t even believe the words coming out of your mouth.” At that, she pushed away from him, hating herself for seeing the sadness in his eyes, and knowing she had just ripped open that emotional wound. “If you can’t face me down, you have no chance up against the inequality and hypocrisy of this world. The very foundations of the heroes you speak of will be out of your reach.”

Offering anything more than the cruel reality would be a huge disservice to everything. All of the hard training she had suffered over the years, all of the things she had given up to make a place for herself in this world. “This person in front of me, he’s not the same person I partnered up with during my initiation. That wasn’t a fluke, Jaune. It wasn’t magic. It wasn’t luck. I made a choice that day,” she told him. “I chose to pin you to the tree that day. I chose you as my partner.”

“Pyrrha I-”

“No.” Pyrrha interrupted, her voice heavy. “No, Jaune. Every day, we make choices that define us. You’re making bad ones, and you know it. There’s no excuse for it.” Her throat was beginning to constrict around her words. That confined emotion leaked into every syllable. “If I thought you completely incapable, I would have turned you in the moment I found out. I didn’t. I made the choice not to do so. I made the choice to have faith in you. If you’re even half the man I thought you were, you won’t let that faith be for nothing. You’ll make better choices. That’s it. That’s all you need to do.”

* * *

There wasn’t any rhyme or reason to the way Ruby folded her clothes at the laundromat in the dormitory basement. There wasn’t any care given to organizing out the light colors from the darks. The word delicate didn’t seem to be something in Ruby’s vocabulary. Ruby merely crammed everything into the washer and dryer by the arm full, impatiently waiting for her clothes to finish before taking them to the table and folding them haphazardly. The only thing that managed to make it onto hangers were her two issued Beacon uniforms. Everything else was left to chance.

Her sports bras and panties were crumpled up and shoved into the basket before anyone could truly take notice of them. Shirts and skirts were never folded in the same way twice. Weiss had a more thorough routine, and still waited on a single load to be done in the dryer by the time Ruby was done. Weiss looked up from her scroll as Ruby fidgeted with a fashion magazine that sat on a small end table. One of the few allotted pieces of reading material left behind for students to pass the time.

“You don’t have to stay for my sake.” Weiss said to Ruby, knowing there was nothing entertaining about watching clothing tumble around behind the clear windows on the washer and dryer doors.

“I like spending time with you. At least, when we aren’t stuck doing chores. Besides, it’s not fun to sit down here by yourself. I wish there was something to do, though.”

“I have plenty of ways to kill time.” Weiss said then, her thumbs tapping away upon the lit screen in front of her. “I don’t mind being here alone, and you’re obviously bored.”

“I’m not bored.” Ruby said, the little white lie obvious to anyone who knew her even slightly. “I’m just a little restless.”

“You’re restless because you’re bored and sitting in the basement. There’s nothing to do but sit under the poor lighting and watch clothing dry.” Weiss skeptically replied. “Wonderful entertainment for most, I’m sure.”

“Well, maybe not that part…”

“That is the only thing currently taking place.” Weiss told her. “Well, besides the news articles I’m catching up on. They wouldn’t interest you in the slightest. The politics in Atlas have always lacked a certain flair.”

“You read that stuff a lot, you know.”

“A product of my upbringing.”

Ruby had heard that excuse a lot. It confused her, and she couldn’t help her own curiosity. “Hey, Weiss don’t you ever get tired of it?”

“Of what, Ruby?” Weiss asked with only minor agitation coloring her tone.

“Of... you know…” Ruby said, hand waving at the scroll that seemed to have a list of endless paragraphs littering the screen. “That stuff. You don’t really do anything that’s fun. You just do all this stuff that you don’t like, because people tell you that you’re supposed to do it.”

Ruby was chattier today than usual. The mundane chores and thick workload was to blame. There wasn’t anything stimulating about taking care of the daily matters that kept them rightfully busy. Weiss offered only a brief glance to the girl that fidgeted in her seat. For reasons that completely baffled her, Ruby was keen to act like a shadow. She was seeking conversation that Weiss felt obligated to provide. “For me, this sort of thing has become routine. I don’t expect you to fathom the reasons why.”

“I wouldn’t like doing that all the time.” Ruby told her. “I’d get bored, and really angry. I don’t know how you do it.”

“Anger is a luxury for you, and most who live in the commoner classes of the world. That’s why wealthy children are raised differently. The expectations handed down to us are vastly different even at a young age.”

“I don’t think being upset all the time is a good thing, Weiss.”

“Ruby, you don’t need to abide by the strict standards that I have grown up with. That’s why it’s a luxury.” Weiss said, as the idea of corruption among the higher social classes left a foul taste in her mouth. Her father was a person that looked down upon others. He didn’t seem to understand that without employees, there was no Schnee Dust Company. His way of life would be compromised. Weiss saw these complexities, and aimed to balance them. She couldn’t do that without a vast understanding of the politics that governed the kingdoms. “Wealthy people have a responsibility to the world, and failure to understand that often leads to the smear campaigns you see on the news.”

“I don’t know about that.” Ruby said softly as she gazed idly around the room. “Is there really such a big difference? Besides money... I mean…”

“There’s more to the matter than what I care to explain.”

“Can’t you try?”

“Simply put, you weren’t born into influence. You haven’t been placed into a position that warrants the life I lead.” Weiss replied as she thumbed through the article in front of her. “Things are not the same for those born into wealth and status like myself. High profile figures are expected to think and act a certain way. Deviating from that upsets everyone. The socialites and the commoners, people like you.”

“That’s really dumb…”

“Ruby, I have a weekly allowance that has more zeros in it than the average seventeen year old.”

“Like, a few hundred a month or something?”

“More zeros than that, which is all I will disclose about that little matter.” Weiss said as she closed her scroll and crossed her legs into a more comfortable position. “I’m expected to use that money for the good of the common people. Investing into the economy and gifting to charities is something I’ve been doing for years now. Matters of frivolity are kept to a minimum because money does no good merely sitting in a bank account. Most of my funds go to charitable organizations because it looks good to the press.”

“So, it’s not because you want to give it away?”

“Don’t misunderstand me, I have no problem donating to charities. It would be ridiculous to keep my allowances hoarded away like that.” Weiss said with a soft sigh. “However, I can’t really consider it something I do out of the goodness of my own heart. Any publicity I receive in return is worth more to me than the money I dole out. When it comes to the heart of the matter, pocket change from you would be worth far more than any donation made from me. When you give something up for the sake of others, that’s charity. What I do, I suppose that’s more like a trade.”

“But, you still help people…”

“At my own benefit, that’s the key.”

“I think everyone gets a benefit in their own way.” Ruby said thoughtfully. “It feels good to share and feel like you’ve done a good thing. Helping people makes me feel good, so, that’s why I want to be a huntress. If what you say is true, then that’s a tradeoff too. If we go by what you say, then the only charitable people in the world are the ones that give stuff away even when they really don’t want to. I don’t think that’s fair.”

“Life often isn’t…”

“Well… No… I guess not.” Ruby said, her eyes drifting down to her boots as she studied them. “People can always be fair, though. Even when life isn’t.”

“It’s a childish outlook, Ruby.”

“No, it’s not.” Roby murmured. “People can choose to do the fair thing, Weiss. It’s not the same as being nice.” Silver eyes lifted slowly, meeting those blue eyes again. “It just means that you choose to do the best you can. It’s about giving people a chance, and sometimes a second one too. It’s about forgiveness when it fits, and standing your ground as respectfully as you can when it doesn’t. Fairness is sharing the work, and relying on others to do what they say they’re going to. When life is the worst, anyone can choose to be fair. Even a kid.”

* * *

Team leaders were sent their field trip instructions on their scrolls during breakfast the next day. With their meals stacked high in front of them Ruby and Jaune both took a moment to answer their scrolls.

“So, what’s the verdict?” Weiss asked, in rare form as she tried to keep her enthusiasm at bay. She busied herself with a bowl of oatmeal but it was merely a way to keep her boundless energy in check. “Will we be doing community service in Vale along with Professor Oobleck? Or are we actually lucky enough to be following Professor Port into the Emerald Forest?”

“Neither.” Ruby told her distractedly as she kept reading the information that had been sent to her.

“What?” Weiss said, blinking owlishly. “What do you mean, neither?”

“I mean we have a different field trip tomorrow. We’re going to Forever Fall with Professor Goodwitch to collect tree sap.” Ruby said, looking up from her scroll to see her partner’s mood souring at the news.

“Tree sap?!” Weiss asked hotly as she yanked Ruby’s scroll from her hand. “I don’t believe this.”

“It’s the same for us too.” Jaune said, passing his scroll over to Pyrrha so that she could read the guidelines. “We’re supposed to gather at the mission center by nine, take off happens at nine-thirty. It says lunch will be provided for out in the field.”

“Of all the menial labor we could be expected to do at this school, I hardly see why we’d go collect sap of all inane things.” Weiss said, thrusting Ruby’s scroll back at her with a newfound annoyance. She needed something, anything to latch onto that might hint at some level of skill involved in the task. “Blake, this doesn’t have anything to do with that history lesson you gave me a while back, does it?”

“What, the one about mad honey?” Blake wondered when no other topic came to mind.

“Yes, that would be the one.” Weiss told her expectantly. “Red sap wouldn’t have those sorts of properties, would it?”

“Honestly, it’s not poisonous. Red sap has a lot of uses.” Blake said then, cutting into her ham thoughtfully. “Not all of them are exactly good things. Then again, I don’t know if you can make mad honey from it.”

“Professor Peach does teach herbalism to the older students.” Pyrrha said after a moment to read over the field trip details for herself. “It will possibly be used for that.”

“Possibly.” Weiss agreed unhappily. She felt as though she were being treated like a child.

“Sounds boring to me.” Jaune said with a shrug.

“Boring? Are you crazy, this is awesome! There are a lot of Grimm in Forever Fall.” Ruby told them. “Emerald Forest is swarming with Grimm too, but they’re way more passive than the ones up north. Forever Fall extends deep beyond the borders of the kingdom, and the Grimm get way more aggressive the further in you go.”

“Is that so?” Weiss asked, perking up again at that thought. “I was under the impression that all of Vale’s borders were heavily guarded.”

“They are, but Forever Fall is no joke once you get outside of them.” Ruby said to her. “The whole forest looks like it's bleeding because everything’s stained red. There are all sorts of old wives tales about people going up there just to end up dead. It’s kind of known for being haunted even though everyone knows that’s just silly.”

“I don’t know how silly you think it is, but I had to cross it to get here for school.” Blake said slowly, offering a half-truth. Faunus lived deep in those woods among the Grimm, and not all of them were good people. “Forever Fall isn’t just a normal forest, it’s nightmare fuel.” Blake knew the area well, she had camped there while waiting for an opportunity to strike down the Schnee Dust Company trains that passed by during her final days in the White Fang.

There was a White Fang hideout in that forest, hidden deep among the flora, fauna, and Grimm. If that wasn’t enough to give Blake nightmares, the knowledge that Adam could be there certainly was terrifying enough to think of.

“What’s so bad about Forever Fall?” Ren asked. “It looks quite captivating overhead.”

“Yeah, we saw it when we were circling the school while we waited to land the day we arrived.” Nora added. “It was really pretty, actually.”

“Pretty or not, it’s the wilds.” Ruby said then with a grin. “I mean the actual wilds, and not just woodlands. There are no outposts up there, it’s nothing but wildlife and mountains. Even some of the bugs can kill you.”

“What else do you know about the wilds in Vale, Ruby?” Nora asked her, with a pancake stuffed into her cheek like a chipmunk. “What kind of stuff is out there?”

“I’ll tell you what’s up there, all kinds of stuff that Ruby shouldn’t know about.” Yang cut in, giving her sibling a dry look. “Don’t go filling their heads with weird stuff, Sis. It’s dangerous up there.”

“Yang’s only mad because Dad never let her go up there.” Ruby said with a shrug. “I’ve been up there twice. She’s right though, it’s really dangerous if you go too far out. That’s probably why we’re having Professor Goodwitch come with us to supervise. There’s no better protector than a combat professor.”

“I could have gone, but dad was completely panicked.” Yang told her with a soft sigh. One elbow resting on the table, she dipped her toast into some egg before cramming it into her mouth. “I had to keep him from going nuts.”

“He worried about nothing.”

“You came home with a broken aura…”

“It didn’t hurt that bad. Uncle Qrow was there the entire time. Besides, I told you it wasn’t a Grimm. I fell out of a tree.”

“I still don’t believe that.” Yang grumbled. “Breaking an aura that way is a really stupid thing to do…”

“Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.” Ruby said, sticking out her tongue. “Besides, I really did fall out of a tree."

“That’s exactly why I don’t believe it was the fall that broke it.” Yang muttered with a shake of her head. “Uncle Qrow probably told you to lie so that dad wouldn’t have a heart attack from the truth.”

“In any case, I am very interested in hearing about Forever Fall from someone who has actually been there.” Weiss said as she realized that there may be some level of proficiency involved in this field trip assignment after all. “Ruby, please do elaborate.”

Ruby nodded, thinking of all of the things she could say. One thing came to mind, one of the few bugs that she truly feared as a child. “Well for one thing, keep an eye out for Rapier Wasps. They’re mean and territorial, you see them every now and then in other places, but nothing like they are in Forever Fall. They love the red sap. You see them all over out there, and then there’s the Grimm…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 5/14/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't as annoying as the last one in my personal opinion, but we have team RWBY bonding and Nora's antics to tank for that. 
> 
> Next time: The conclusion of Forever Fall (THANK GOD). Things will wind down for chapters 36-39 for another time skip as JNPR picks up it's pieces and team RWBY grows closer. Then once we hit 40, we drift into the long awaited entry to the "Stray/Black and White" arc.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXIV**

The first year students were given the afternoon off from their classes to prepare for their trips out into the field. Mixed murmurs of excitement and trepidation filled the halls and dorms where the students gathered. Ruby spent her time pulling out her old drawing of the forest that she had made when her uncle had taken her. The wildlife littered her pages, and some of them were frightening.

“I do hope that’s an artistic rendering.” Weiss replied, looking at some of the large insects that Ruby had sketched.

“It’s not.” Blake warned with a crinkled nose as she looked over at the open page where a spider had captured prey. “Spiders really can get to be that big, under the right conditions.”

“Large enough to catch and eat a Rapier Wasp?”

“It gets that big because of the nearby influence of Grimm. It’s actually a good thing though, that’s one of the few natural enemies they’ve got.” Ruby said, flipping the page. On the back of the next page, the details she had learned about the creature had been written out messily. “A string of web is strong enough to hold a thick stick, and if a wasp gets caught in it, that’s it. You’re not going to see these kinds of spiders on the ground. They live high in trees where the wasps are more likely to break through the thick bark to collect the sap. The web is poisonous though, you don’t want to touch it.”

“I take it that’s one of the reasons why Forever Fall has never been at risk for deforestation.” Weiss said as she idly checked to make sure she carried a few vials of extra dust in her small pouch. “That is one arachnid I’d rather leave well enough alone.”

“That’s a nasty little bugger, but no, that’s not it. Humans can’t chop trees on ancestral land in Vale.” Yang replied, armed and ready for tomorrow’s trip into the blood colored forest. “It’s a felony. The trees are protected by law. They can’t cut them down unless the Grimm have corrupted something. Other than that, the trees belong to the Faunus that live in the forest. We can’t destroy them.”

“Just how big is this Faunus tribe, exactly?”

“I’ve heard that it’s one of the largest in Vale, but I’ve never been there.” Ruby shrugged. “Humans aren’t allowed to go in without being invited. There’s a few smaller ones too, but they’re on the other side of the forest entirely. Like, they’re as far as the coast on the other side of the forest. You see them on television sometimes whenever someone makes one of those wildlife documentaries.”

“It’s kind of gross, actually.” Yang said, her mouth forming into a scowl. “I had a friend who lived in one of those tribes as a kid before her family moved to Patch. She used to tell me that living there is nothing like what we end up seeing on television.”

“Who was that, Yang?” Blake asked.

“Trifa.” Yang said, both Blake and Weiss were noticeably surprised. “Uh, what’s with the look?”

“The spider Faunus?” Weiss asked.

“Yep that’s her…” Yang mumbled, rolling her eyes. “Why?”

“It’s just a surprise, Yang. She doesn’t seem like the type to keep many friends.” Blake said, her lip quirking upward in amusement. “She’s pretty ruthless in combat class, too.”

The blonde nodded. “Yeah she keeps to herself, but we went to Signal together sooo…”

“Plus, Yang went through a bit of a phase.” Ruby shrugged.

“Ruby!”

“Well you did.” Ruby protested with a huff. “You used to sneak into bars and break things. Dad used to argue with you about it, and it was hard not to overhear.” It was then that she tucked into herself with her own small smile. “Trifa seems really mean, and there’s no way anyone would want to get on her bad side, but I know she’s been a good friend to you.”

“Wait a second, Ruby that’s not the point…” Weiss said, hand held up authoritatively. “Yang, just what sort of trouble did you get into?”

“Nothing you need to get your panties in a twist about, Princess.”

The woman sitting beside Ruby wasn’t appeased with that statement in the slightest. “Have you been in trouble with the law?”

“Leave it alone, Weiss. We discussed it before, remember? That thing about digging too deep, remember that?”

“Yang?” Blake murmured.

“I mean it, guys.” Yang muttered. “Leave it be. I was a dumb kid, and I had my reasons. Besides, it's in the past, and we need to worry about the field trip.” Yang said, with a shake of her head and a refusal to explain things more deeply than that.

Weiss bit her lower lip. She did remember that conversation. She promised not to bring up the subject about Ruby’s mother. She didn’t want to bring up bad memories about the difficulties of such an upbringing. She had been concerned about Ruby, but the way Yang’s eyes tinged red indicated there was far more to that family history than Yang let on. A long held pain, probably something that Yang wanted to protect Ruby from.

Weiss knew a little bit of that sort of honor. She was the middle sibling, after all. There were a vast many things that Winter refused to expose her to. A vast many truths that even she had kept Whitley out of, because he didn’t deserve to be pulled into the family drama.

She had to believe Yang wanted to do the same for Ruby. “Understood.” Weiss said softly, she wouldn’t betray that promise now and drag something out that had no business being aired. Yang was right, the focus was the field trip. “Ruby, how deep in do you think Goodwitch will take us?”

“Well, I don’t know. The mission stuff I was sent doesn’t really say anything about that.” Ruby told her as she pulled out her scroll. “I mean, it can’t be that far. There’s no way they’d let us go passed the third check point.”

“Check point?” Weiss asked. “What check point? I didn’t realize Forever Fall has such a tedious system.”

“Ruby means the last outpost in Forever Fall.” Yang said. “There are three of them, but they only take you out so far.”

“Yeah, the third check point is the last point for huntsmen to gather in the forest. It’s twenty miles away from the second check point.” Ruby continued where Yang left off. “It’s the last place there’s an inn. Beyond that, there’s nothing. Just the Faunus tribe, and the wilderness. A lot of trains pass through there to get to Vale.”

“Yeah, but ever since the White Fang started to get more active, it’s been under lock down.” Yang grumbled thoughtfully.

“That’s for good reason. It’s not just the tribes that live in Forever Fall.” Blake said with a soft shake of her head. “Dangerous people do, too. It’s a good place for outlaws to live. Bandits, murderers, people hiding from the law in general. I was always warned to be careful of who you cross paths with. Anyone outside of the kingdoms are there for a reason.”

“She’s right, you know. I’m sure you heard about the most recent shit show that went down.” Yang told Weiss. “It was one of your family’s trains that was attacked.”

“Unfortunately, I hear about those sorts of attacks regularly. It has become white noise among other family politics.” Weiss said darkly, biting back the bitter fury that such a topic drummed up. “I’d much rather theft over assassination any day, but the White Fang resorts to violence more as time goes on.”

“Which is why the teachers probably won’t take us anywhere near there. We’ll probably be taken someplace between the first and second checkpoint.” Ruby said then. “There’s no protection. The Grimm are always seen wandering around. It’s not just young ones, either. Uncle Qrow called it the perfect training spot. We’ll probably be around there someplace because there’s a lot of clearings for an airdrop. Plus, we can get back to Beacon easy.”

“I hope you’re right about that.” Yang said as she nervously inspected her gauntlets once more. “We wouldn’t want to get tangled up with anything messy.”

“Professor Goodwitch will be there.” Ruby said as she turned the page in her sketchbook. “What can go wrong?”

* * *

It was late at night when Nora was jumping up and down on her bed. With Jaune out again and a field trip the very next day, Pyrrha looked out the window of her dorm despondently. Weiss had told her to bide her time and wait Jaune’s attitude out, but in the meantime she couldn’t help but feel conflicted. 

Whatever he was up to, it couldn’t be good. She wanted to be of help to him, but with his continued absence from team activities, she couldn’t help but feel scorned by him.

If he didn’t want her to help him, what could she do?

Idly she considered pulling him aside again, this time giving him a much more frank talk about leaving them to fend for themselves. It appealed to the constant concern in the back of her mind, and the newfound agitation she felt at being denied the simple pleasure of a unified team. Realistically, she considered that doing such a thing again simply wouldn’t be useful to her greater goals. She might feel some measure of short term catharsis, but that was all meaningless if it didn’t lead to a better outcome.

He was a gentle person, soft where it mattered. Talking to him that way about the troublesome topic would probably end in failure. She briefly considered even taking him to the arena, laying down the matter with a clash of blades and huntress pride at her disposal. Once again, she quickly determined that such a thing wouldn’t end well either. It wasn’t just because there was no question who would win that fight, but also because deep down she didn’t want to fight with him.

At least, not like that. With a professor as an audience, and her emotions far more conflicted than she cared to examine.

Distantly she considered shadowing him, finding out what he was up to and catching him in the act. The idea had crossed her mind several times, but she wouldn’t stoop so low. That wasn’t the honest way to solve the problem, and it would likely just make everything worse.

With Nora wondering why Jaune was out so late, and Ren also voicing his concern on the topic, Pyrrha couldn’t help but feel even more frustrated. She was his partner, and that came with some level of responsibility in all of this. Knowing the condition of her partner, and his ability to lead the team was a paramount concern. Beneath all of that, there was a fraction of pain that hedged against her annoyance. Her voice didn’t betray the aggravation she felt, perched on the bookcase looking out to the grounds below.

If anyone were to ask what she was looking at exactly, she would have made note of the stars up above. In truth, she was on the lookout for her wandering team leader, unsure of where he could have gotten to this time.

If the team had been looking the right way, they would have noticed their leader. If Pyrrha would have been paying attention, she would have seen the crack in the door. If she had been just a little less consumed by her own twisting thoughts, she would have made note of the man in question struggling with his troubles.

Instead, she hadn’t noticed a thing as he soundlessly slipped the door shut. Neither did Ren and Nora, the three of them oblivious to the man behind the door.

“What do you think he does when he’s out and about all day?” Nora asked, her voice as gentle as she could possibly make it.

“I’m not about to guess.” Pyrrha told her. “If I did it would only sound trite.”

Nora could only offer a waning smirk at that. Something that didn’t linger, even if she couldn’t help but feel the hint of amusement in Pyrrha’s antics. Most people probably wouldn’t believe that Pyrrha Nikos was even capable of feeling helpless. Those that might believe it would never assume that she would feel that way when it came to another person. The redhead put on airs that Nora didn’t understand, and she didn’t even want to try.

For whatever reason, those airs crumbled like a house of cards when it came to Jaune. That alone gave Nora all the ammunition to poke and prod at the complicated feelings that seemed to be oozing off of Pyrrha. She wasn’t that sort of person, though. “Maybe you should get away from the window.”

“No, I’m merely relaxing.”

“You’re winding yourself up, you mean.” Nora said, crawling across her bed to lay on her belly. She leveled her gaze at Pyrrha, which earned the woman’s attention.

“What are you doing?” Pyrrha asked with a sigh.

“Watching you watch the window.” Nora shrugged.

“Staring is considered rude,” the redhead replied as she went back to her musings.

“I’m trying to figure out if you somehow merged with Weiss…”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Nora said with a tiny shrug, pushing herself off the bed and going over to the woman she considered a friend. “It seems like you’re channeling Weiss or something. You’re glaring, and you don’t usually do that. Well, not like you’re doing it right now, anyway.” Nora went on to say, her finger coming up to press against that furrowed brow line. “I know you like to be all noble and stuff, but we’re your friends and this is our room together. If you can’t be honest with yourself here, where can you be?”

“You’re right.” Pyrrha murmured, her emotions deflating as she rested the side of her head against the glass. “I’m just so emotionally exhausted, I’m sorry if I’m worrying you.”

“Don’t be.” Nora said gently. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re not fighting with Jaune or something, right?”

“It would be better if it was a fight.” Pyrrha told her. “At least then I’d know how he was feeling. As it is, we’re barely talking. He’s shouldering everything away, and shutting me out.”

“It’s just the way a lot of guys are.” Ren said quietly as he placed his twin pistols away. “We’re raised not to worry people, we’re taught not to be weak. When times get tough, we’re expected to grin and bear it. Sometimes, empathy gets a little bit lost in all of that. It isn’t right, but that’s sometimes the way it goes.”

“He can’t do this alone, Ren.”

“Even so, you need to let him settle things on his own terms.” Ren told her softly. “If it isn’t his way, then none of his accomplishments or failings are his own to bear. He won’t learn anything that way.”

Feeling a little anxious, Pyrrha wasn’t sure what to do. It wasn’t her truth to tell, and Jaune obviously didn’t want anyone to know. “I don’t know if you’d be saying that if you knew the context of our discussions, or the reason why we are currently lacking them.”

“I wouldn’t know for sure myself, not unless I was told.” Ren agreed mildly. “I don’t think he’s doing anything to be malicious, though.” He regarded Pyrrha then. “Is he doing something to harm others?”

“Only himself, if you could call it that.” Pyrrha said. “He’s… for a lack of a better way to explain the problem, he’s trying to protect us from backlash for some of his choices. I can’t say I agree with it.”

Ren thought on this for a moment, sighing softly. “Sometimes the worst mistakes we make are with the best of intentions. He must have his reasons. We should bank on that for now and hope it pays off.”

“And if it doesn’t?” Pyrrha asked.

Ren merely shrugged at that, but Nora found the words that Ren couldn’t.

“You can’t always think one step ahead like that.” Nora told her. “And people aren’t broken, you can’t fix them. And you can’t always fix problems, either.”

Pyrrha could only sigh. “Perhaps not, but I would certainly like to try.”

“Hmm, well you can’t try to out maneuver every problem you come across.” Nora said, as she sat down beside Pyrrha. “If you did that, life wouldn’t be any fun at all. You’d just be waiting for the next problem to come, and then the next one after that. You’d get used to seeing problems that aren’t even there in the first place. Sometimes you need to go with the flow.”

“Nora, I assure you that this is, in fact, a problem.” Pyrrha told her. “It’s not a small situation.”

“Maybe Jaune will deal with it on his own. If he doesn’t and something bad happens, we’ll just muddle through it together. No matter how bad it is.” Nora said, cocking her head gently as she shrugged. “We’ll take care of it when we have to, until then don’t stress yourself out. All you’ll do is make whatever the problem is even worse.”

* * *

Jaune couldn’t help wandering the campus with a head full of conflicting emotions. Pyrrha seemed angry with him, so he couldn’t go back to the room. It had been a slow spiral, but he felt as though he was deeper into the abyss. After another day spent with Cardin, he was down on himself. All of his most recent failings weighed heavily against the small victories he did manage to obtain.

He got his first wonderful grade on an assignment, but it felt hollow when it had been returned to him. Doing Cardin’s homework had drilled information into Jaune’s head. He should have been proud of that, but instead all he could feel was anger and sadness. Pyrrha’s annoyance and his worried team struck a chord with him, and he had no way to reasonably apologize without everything sounding like an excuse.

In some ways, it would be. In others it would just be another lie of omission.

Ruby’s talk with him in the hallway didn’t comfort him either. He was a leader now, she was right about that. He couldn’t be a failure, it just wasn’t something he could consider. Like she said, if he was a failure, he’d take his entire team down with him. He couldn’t do that to them. In her mind, it was that easy, and that straightforward. For her, it seemed there was no other way to tackle the matter, and no reason why she should. A leader had to put their team first, and that’s just the way it was.

Her simple and pragmatic way of looking at things didn’t give him any comfort. She didn’t even know the truth. If she did, she would probably hate him. She made it to Beacon earnestly, something he never could have done.

He kicked a crumpled piece of paper down the hallway, bending down to toss it into the next trash can that he found. He watched the paper fall onto the rest of the garbage with a sour look on his face. Cardin had given him another project, and it was one that sounded as exhausting as it was strange. What could Cardin even need a box of wasps for anyway? It was probably a project of some kind for Professor Port’s class, or at least that was the assumption Jaune made as he began wandering the halls to make his way outside to the campus.

“Jaune!” Mata called to him from down the hallway, jogging to meet up with the blond young man. “There you are, I’ve been looking around for you. Why weren’t you answering your scroll?”

“I’ve been a bit busy,” he said with a shrug, looking anywhere other than his mentor.

Mata regarded Jaune placidly for a moment before nodding to him. “That’s fair, but you really should keep an eye on it. When I call, you should probably answer it.”

“Is something wrong about the papers I turned in earlier?” Jaune asked, unsure of what else Mata could want with him.

“No, but I was asked to give this to you.” Mata said, handing Jaune a large thick packet. “These are your copies of everything you filled out. Keep them safe someplace.”

“You didn’t have to find me for this.” Jaune said. “You could have given them to Pyrrha.”

“Nope, it has to be you. The professors around here are pretty easy going, but an order is an order.” Mata said. For lack of something better to do, he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Though you’re wandering around the campus rather late. Don’t first year students have supervised trips tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but it’s not that big of a deal.” Jaune said with a small sigh. “Besides, my head is filled with all sorts of stuff, I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway.”

“I find that talking usually helps.”

“No thanks.”

“It wasn’t exactly a request.” Mata told him softly. “What’s bothering you, Jaune?”

“Personal stuff.” He shot back. “I don’t want to get into it.”

“You’re going to have a long four years if you don’t learn to open up.” Mata said, feeling as if that sage advice meant nothing to someone who lacked experience. “We all have someone we talk to. Your teammates would probably be helpful, or you could always talk to that girl… Ruby, was it? She seems nice enough.”

“This isn’t the kind of thing I can talk to them about.” Jaune said.

“Ah, well if it’s that sort of personal matter, perhaps you should speak with Professor Port?”

Jaune refused that idea too. “No, I can’t do that either. It would probably make everything worse.”

“Somehow I doubt that.” Mata replied. “We’re lucky. The girls get saddled with Professor Goodwitch. She’s good at what she does don’t get me wrong, she’s an amazing huntress. If you ever get the chance to sit in on one of her training battles against another professor, you really should go see it. As great as she is though, she’s stricter than Professor Port could ever be. You’d have to do something incredibly dumb to get on his bad side. He’s a good guy to talk to.”

“Yeah, well I suppose I’m an incredibly dumb person, because I know I’d get on his bad side.”

“I think you’re wrong about that. I don’t know what happened, but you really should talk to someone.” Mata could tell this was going nowhere fast. “We all do stupid things, Jaune. If you haven’t, you can’t say you’ve lived life to the fullest. That alone doesn’t make us dumb people.” Mata told him, clapping him on the shoulder before taking his leave. “It only makes you dumb if you don’t learn from it.”

* * *

The sun lifted on a new day, and along with it the field trips began well before breakfast. They stepped onto the airships with sandwiches to eat on the way. For drinks it was a choice between bottled water and canned coffee. Students clustered in their teams, digging into their meals as the loud engines roared to life. The doors closed and the windows dimmed providing a barrier against the racket.

All of the students had placed their packs in the cargo bay, but had been warned that they would not be taking them into the forest. They would stay with the ship at the landing location in case the group needed to stay overnight.

“Attention everyone, I’ll keep this brief. The forest of Forever Fall is one of Vale’s greatest landmarks, but it is also one of the most deadly so listen closely,” she demanded, calling all attention to her. “The mission today is quite simple. While it is intended to be an enjoyable outing, you will be collecting red sap for Professor Peach as well. It’s easy and fairly straightforward, but mistakes will happen if you are not careful. You will not leave the radius marked on your maps. In the event that you do, your safety will be compromised. For your safety, your scrolls are now being tracked for the duration of this outing. Those who do wander beyond the radius, you will be punished. Do not test me on this.”

The map was sent to every student, the guidelines for the mission clear and simple. The professor remained self-assured that no harm would come to them if they followed her plans accordingly. “When we land I expect all of you to do your part to carry our supplies to our designated location. Collect the sap, and be vigilant of wandering Grimm. Be ready to do battle at a moment’s notice. In the event of a crisis, you will contact me as soon as possible. I would suggest you take this time to make any final plans with your teammates. That is all.”

“Hey Jaune, are you going to eat that?” Nora asked as she gobbled down her sandwich. Meanwhile, his own meal was left to sit in its wrapper.

“Are you kidding, my stomach is already doing flips,” he said sickly. “Go ahead, you’ll enjoy it more than me.”

“Be careful, Nora.” Ren said with the morning breakfast in hand. “You don’t want to become lethargic.”

“These things are way too small to be considered a meal. Oh, but that reminds me of something. Jaune, you did take your medicine from the nurse, right?” Nora asked as she reached for his abandoned meal. “That should help, right?”

“He’s not puking everywhere yet.” Yang laughed. “It did help, right Vomit-boy?”

“Ruby, I blame you for that nickname…” Jaune muttered.

“Sorry.” She said with a small laugh. “It’s true though, you got really sick on the flight to Beacon.”

“I feel really sick now, too.” Jaune admitted, holding his gut and curling into a ball to close his eyes.

“You’ll get used to it.” Pyrrha said as she idly rubbed Jaune’s back. A kindness given out of concern for his well being. “Most in the profession do.”

“Ugh, I hope you’re right.”

Weiss watched the exchange thoughtfully, nibbling on her own sandwich as the pungent smell of packet tuna wafted by her nose. “What on Remnant, Belladonna? That’s a fried egg sandwich you just destroyed…”

“Hey, you eat your food, I’ll eat mine.” Blake shot back.

Weiss sent her a dry, scathing look as the smell got worse. “Did you really have to choose such a disgusting combination while we’re packed together like sardines?”

“Yep, she killed the food.” Yang said with a smirk.

Blake merely rolled her eyes. “I happen to like tuna on my egg sandwiches, thank you all very much.”

“Oh, gross!” Nora complained while holding her nose before curiosity got the better of her. She took another cautious sniff of the air before coming to a decision. “Actually, wait a second. Can I try it?”

“Sure, knock yourself out.” Blake said as she handed over the half used packet of opened tuna. “Here, maybe you’ll agree with me.”

Weiss couldn’t help but gag as Nora squeezed the packet all over her sandwich before slathering it in a packet of ketchup as well. Just the thought was making her as green in the face as Jaune. Then, Nora did the unthinkable, she ripped the sandwich in half and held one of the dripping halves out to Yang. “I dare you to try it with me, unless you’re too chicken?”

“Gimme that thing.” Yang grinned, never willing to back down from a food related challenge.

“I hate all of you right now.” Jaune complained as he pinched his nose.

A small pang of pity washed over Weiss before the realization followed. If he did manage to lose his composure, her day would be made that much worse. She was not going to risk it further. 

“That does it, I’ve had it. I’m going to get some air on the other side of the aircraft.” Weiss said as she stood up and grabbed Jaune by his hoodie, fully willing to drag him across the airship. “You are coming with me to the nearest empty trash can, and I will hear no arguments. Pyrrha, you are more than welcome to join us if you wish.”

* * *

The ship landed less than an hour later, the students gathered the empty jars and the rest of the supplies to collect the sap, leaving their gear behind as instructed. They followed the professor down the long path, as she lectured for a short while about the forest as they trudged on. Finally they came to the location that the professor had indicated in their maps.

“Here we are, we have arrived at your mission location. Remember your objective, and do not wander outside of the coordinates you have been provided. Each of you need to collect at least one jar of sap, to get a passing grade. Once you have done that you are free to explore the immediate area. Lunch and check-ins will be at one-o-clock sharp. We leave the area at four-o-clock sharp. Enjoy yourselves, but do be careful and be cautious of Grimm.”

As the students began to disperse, Glynda found herself a comfortable place to rest near one of the trees.

“Come on buddy.” Cardin said to the boy carrying his supplies. “Let’s go find some trees.”

“But, I need to stay with my team.” Jaune told him.

“We will man, we’re not going to go far at all.” Cardin told him jovially. “I’m a team leader too, remember? We got to look after our teams. Now, let’s get going.”

Nora skipped on ahead and Ren followed. Pyrrha looked at Jaune sadly. She had been hoping that he would choose to come along with them, but as he trailed behind Cardin, she knew it was a lost cause. She sighed at length before being on the receiving end of Cardin’s annoyance.

“Stop gawking and move along, Nikos. The rest of your team is already up ahead, no need to lag behind.” Cardin said, glancing at her from over his shoulder. “Don’t you go and make Jaune’s job as a leader harder than it needs to be. We have enough shit to deal with as it is.”

As Pyrrha began to follow, he then rolled his eyes and put an arm around Jaune’s shoulders.

“Snooty partner you have there.” Cardin told Jaune. “Looks like she’s a little pissy because she didn’t get the spot to lead the team.”

“Who, Pyrrha?” Jaune asked. “No, it’s really not like that.”

“Really, well if you say so.” Cardin said, keeping his voice low. “It just looks like it to me. Hell, I’ve been wrong before. I hope for your sake I am.”

“Why would you even think that?”

“I heard what she said to you on the roof that night.”

“It was just a small disagreement.”

“Didn’t sound like it to me. She doesn’t think you’ve got the chops to be here, she said so herself.”

“I don’t think that was her intention…”

“Wasn’t it though? She wanted to train you. It’s like she thinks she’s so much better than you are.”

“Well… Yeah, but isn’t she?” Jaune asked, the thought that Pyrrha thought he was so weak and incapable hurt. “I mean, her grades are amazing, and she’s a great fighter.”

“Eh, that’s not all it takes to be a huntsman. You’ve got to want it. It’s not a job, it’s a way of life.” Cardin shrugged. “Hey man, I’ll carry that stuff from here.”

“What… really?”

“Yeah, hand it over,” he said, pulling the jars and suitcase from Jaune’s hands. He looked back to where Pyrrha was meandering behind them, a soft and unhappy glare on her face. “See, don’t look now, but she’s pissed that you’re even hanging out with me. Kind of stupid, don’t you think?”

“She just doesn’t want me to get into trouble.” Jaune told him.

“Hmm, alright then.” Cardin said brushing the matter off. “Let’s go set up over there, just beyond Ren and Nora by the next section of trees. That should be close enough to keep an eye on both our teams.”

* * *

Team RWBY set up their spot near a small clearing filled with wildflowers. As the tree sap slowly drizzled into one of the jars, the girls entertained themselves by enjoying the fair weather and tranquility of the forest. Ruby seemed to have found something amusing as she giggled at something cupped in her hands.

“What could be so funny?”

“It’s a caterpillar.” Ruby told her, showing the tiny creature with soft pink fuzz. “When it grows up, it’ll be like that red butterfly we saw earlier in the flowers.”

“Fascinating...” Weiss murmured as she knelt down to get a better look. “Is it safe to pick up like that?”

“It’s not going to hurt you. The ones around here aren’t poisonous or pokey.” Ruby told her. “I mean, there are poisonous caterpillars with pokey black fuzz near Vale, just none in Forever Fall.”

“It is strangely cute, isn’t it?”

“Wanna hold it?”

Weiss thought on this, but shook her head. “No thank you. I’d rather not…”

“I should put this little guy back on his leaf anyway. He’s probably mad that I took him away from his food to hold him.” Ruby said as she gently set the creature back down on the partially chewed leaf she found it on. “Hey, ever held a chipmunk or seen one up close before? There’s one over there if you want to try.”

“No, I cannot say that I have. I’ve seen them, but only up in trees.” Weiss told her. “I didn’t even know they’d go near people. The ones we have up in Atlas have much longer fur. They are completely white with gray stripes instead. They certainly don’t go near people, and you rarely see them in the parks. I would never attempt to pick one up.”

“Well, you can’t just pick it up here, either.” Ruby laughed. “Usually, you don’t have to. Small animals like that always go by hunters looking for food. If you sit really still, it’ll probably climb on top of you looking for a snack. If you can find something on the ground it likes, it’d probably stuff it inside its cheeks and run off to hide it somewhere.”

“Do you feed the wild animals often?”

“No, actually I don’t really feed them at all unless they’re in the back yard. We have a feeder out there, and we always keep it full. They’re dependent on it now. That’s why it’s okay to do it in the back yard.” Ruby told her. “If you’re going to do it, you should give animals stuff you find nearby that they eat. Never people food. You can’t do it all the time either. If you do, it might start relying on people, and that would be bad for it...”

Sitting beside another tree, Yang and Blake watched the teammates bonding among the flowers in search of something to feed the nearby chipmunk that skittered around near the bushes. While Yang was watching her teammates, Blake had her eyes trained on the small creature wandering around nearby.

“You know, when they’re not fighting, they’re kind of cute together.”

“Huh?” Blake asked, dragging her gaze away from the tiny animal.

“Weiss and Ruby…” Yang said, nodding her head towards the two of them.

“Ah, right. I suppose they are…” Blake said as she went back to watching the chipmunk instead.

* * *

“Please don’t drink the sap we’ve collected, Nora.” Ren sighed with his usual mix of fondness and exasperation.

“I just wanted to taste it.” Nora said with a shrug.

“You drank the whole jar…”

“It would go great with pancakes.”

“Do you realize just how much Forever Fall syrup costs?” Pyrrha asked, knowing that it was one of the most expensive and exclusive brands of syrup in the world.

“I don’t know, probably a lot.” Nora shrugged. “Syrup prices are expensive anyway.”

“It takes time to collect sap, and it’s a dangerous trade to get into.” Ren told her. “Given the lengths that people need to go merely to collect tree sap in the first place, I’m surprised we can even afford the bottles we do buy.”

“Forever Fall syrup is even harder to come by.” Pyrrha agreed. “The sap is particularly sweet, and produces very thin and gentle syrup. It’s not like the maple syrup that you’re used to.”

“You’ve got to have it before?”

“Yes, but only once.” Pyrrha nodded. “I didn’t see what all the fuss was about, personally.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Ren shrugged as he watched the red sap drizzle slowly into the jar. “We’d never be able to afford it anyway.”

“But we can afford the sap, Ren.” Nora said with a laugh. “It’s free and it tastes great. We just have to get it ourselves.”

Ren merely rolled his eyes, chuckling. “We are not coming out here to collect sap every time you have a craving for pancakes. If we did, we’d never have a chance to do anything else.”

“Yeah, I know.” The girl said unhappily. “But, it’s good while we’re here at least.”

“Personally, I don’t think it’s very healthy to drink that much sugar.” Pyrrha replied with her own capped jar in hand, collected and ready to submit for approval. “Or to do it daily. If you’d like a bottle though, I might consider buying one for a special occasion. Sadly, Ren’s quite right though. It’s not cheap, nor something I’d be willing to purchase all the time.”

* * *

Jaune’s day wasn’t going well out in the woods.

When they got to the spot Cardin picked, they looked over the supplies. Cardin handed Jaune six of the jars. He told him to fill all the jars, including the sixth one. Jaune asked why, but Cardin refused to tell him. Instead, he grinned and told Jaune that if he wanted to prove himself to Pyrrha, doing the hard work would show just how much he wanted to be at Beacon. It would prove he could apply himself, and overachieve just like she could.

It also helped to smooth things over that Cardin promised an extra incentive for Jaune to do all the work. If he brought back six jars of sap, Cardin would show him what the extra jar was for. For his loyalty, he would even get a chance to meet with special training with Cardin’s older brother, a certified huntsman. Cardin promised he would make it happen, and the offer was too good to turn down.

With the hopes of having personalized training sessions from an actual credited hunter firmly in his sights, Jaune set off to collect the sap. The first round of trees offered very little. After several attempts, he finally hit a spot full of sap, filling an entire jar and discovering a new allergy on top of it. With each jar he filled, his itchy eyes and stuffy nose became worse. By lunch time, he had three jars filled and considered that lucky. As the groups gathered together to get their food, Glynda checked them off one by one.

All students were present and accounted for, each with a small pouch labeled as a meal ready to eat in hand. Glynda started a carefully controlled fire for the students to enjoy. Some sat around the fire, others climbed onto low hanging branches, and a few wandered back to their original spots to eat among their team. 

Ruby was an enigma however. She drifted away from the group as she waited for her meal inside the pouch to finish cooking.

“What has you so fixated, Miss Rose?”

“This was made by an Ursa Grimm, or a really big black bear…” Ruby said, poking at the track left in the ground with a stick. “The edges are moist, so it was probably made today. I’ve just never seen a black bear print this big before.”

“An astute observation. That certainly belongs to an Ursa.” Glynda replied, as she waited for her own meal to cook. “It doesn’t seem to be around now, though. No one has reported a sighting, and when I made the rounds I didn’t see it.”

“It doesn’t mean it isn’t still around.”

“We are in Grimm territory, it is to be expected.”

Ruby looked around at all the students. “I don’t know, there’s a lot of people here. It seems weird. Like it’s wrong somehow.” Her meal had finished cooking, and she pulled the packet of stew from the heating wrapper and tore into the top of it before stirring it with her spoon. “I’ve never seen Grimm where there are a lot of people around like this.”

“A product of your training, Miss Rose.” Glynda told her. “Why aren’t you taking your meal with your team?”

“They’re all over there in the big group, and I don’t like crowds of people.” Ruby said, pointing over to the mass of students jumbled by the fire. “I came over here where it’s quiet, and saw the track.”

“I see.”

“Um, can I ask why you picked this exact place for the trip?” Ruby asked. “There’s not really any water around, and I don’t think this would be a good place to set up camp if we had to. It’s just so open, you know?”

“Of course it isn’t ideal for that. Frankly, I’m not going out of my way to locate the Grimm for the same reason,” the professor replied. “In the event of an emergency, you need to be ready to survive the worst outcomes. The time to coddle you is over, and you can expect to be placed into intentionally dangerous surroundings as your training continues.”

“Why didn’t we go closer to outpost three? That place really is dangerous.”

“Dangerous is not the same qualifier as suicidal, Miss Rose. You are still first year students, and that was considered when deciding upon a location.” Glynda replied dryly. “I don’t suspect that you’d encounter anything in this area that would be a drastic threat to life and limb. We chose a place where students could handle most matters on your own with minimal assistance. Preferably, none at all. I am here merely to make sure that nothing gets too far out of hand. Beyond that, you will be left to your own devices if a Grimm does wander by.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 5/23/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes the "Jaune is a piece of shit" arc. See you next time for an actually good chapter...
> 
> And yes, the fight scene is complete and total bull crap...but it was always a low-stakes fight...and there is no saving a low stakes fight like that one.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXV**

After collecting the mealtime trash students that still required sap for their grade were sent back to their pursuit with a full belly and empty jar. Those that had completed their tasks were free to enjoy the wilderness as they deemed fit. Extra jars were offered as a means of extra credit, and team RWBY jumped on the opportunity to boost their grade. Others went in search of more interesting means in entertainment, attempting to land surprise attacks on their professor only to be sent flying away each time with a mere flick of her semblance each time.

“I do hope you plan to do better than that.” Glynda said as Nora charged in head first only to be sent skidding into the ground.

“Are you kidding?” Nora asked, with a devious grin that could only spell trouble. “I’ve only just gotten started!”

“By all means, do as you see fit. I would advise you not to try and rush at me like that again, however.” Glynda said in passing, side swiping a wayward young man and catching him before he fell face first into the ground. “The only one in this forest that would even stand a chance at boldly out pacing my semblance head on that way would be Miss Rose.”

“Ren, let’s go get Ruby…”

“Even that’s not advisable.” Glynda warned. “It would likely result in a mess at best, and injury at worst. Were it not for the fact we both have an aura to handle that sort of high speed impact, it might even be fatal. It would be best if you considered a different plan of attack.”

“Aw, crap.”

“I told you that was a bad idea.” Ren murmured as he helped to dust his friend off. Several other brazen students lifting themselves up from their own landing areas with bruised egos and the desire to try again.

“If she didn’t have such an overpowered semblance, I totally would have gotten her.” Nora said, feeling the temptation to try for another full on attack.

“I don’t think charging after her is the best plan.” Ren said even though he knew that his warning fell on deaf ears.

“Perhaps we should collect a few more jars of sap to boost our grade instead.” Pyrrha suggested. “It might be a better use of our time.”

“More work?” Nora asked, rolling her eyes. Her teammate was studious, but sometimes she studied too much. “Pyrrha, we’ve got to live a little.”

“Actually, I think it’s a good idea.” Ren said placidly.

“Aw, come on Ren, that’s not fun. We already got what we needed.”

“True, but a little more to boost our grade wouldn’t hurt.”

Nora seemed to think on it, but technically she was outvoted anyway. “If we do that, can I actually eat some without being told not to this time?” Nora asked, in hopes to win her own victory out of the arrangement.

“So long as you don’t eat all of it.” Ren said, handing her one of the empty jars. “I know it’s not exactly the most entertaining thing in the world, but it’ll be worth it in the end.”

“If I can eat some of the sap, it’s worth it now.” Nora said, tossing the jar idly from hand to hand, catching it deftly each time. “Where did Jaune go, anyway? He disappeared after we ate.”

“He’s probably with his new best friend again.” Pyrrha said, her own jar in hand. “I suppose we’re on our own.”

“See?” Nora told them. “He’s probably off having fun, like we should be.”

“Perhaps, but I highly doubt it.” Pyrrha merely sighed. “I just hope that he isn’t getting into trouble.”

* * *

Trouble was the exact description Jaune found himself in as he collapsed down onto the ground. With six jars of sap successfully in hand, he thought he could call his day complete. Suffering from one of the worst cases of seasonal allergies he had ever encountered, he could only blame the sap. Face down onto the ground around the relaxing members of team CRDL, he ignored their amused chuckling and rolled onto his side.

“Nice, you got it all. That’s good, Jaune. You did great.” Cardin said from his place against a nearby tree. “Though, I bet you’re wondering what we’re going to do with that sixth jar of red sap.”

“Yeah, I was thinking about that a lot.” Jaune said tiredly. “I hope it will go to good use.”

“Oh, it will Jaune.” Cardin said, with a grin. “It’s about time I show you what we’re going to use it for. We’re going to test your loyalty.”

The blonde boy had to admit, that had him curious. “Loyalty?”

“You want to be a huntsman, right?” Cardin asked as Jaune nodded. “Only loyal people can do that. I’m not going to help anyone who doesn’t have my back, but I don’t have to worry about that, do I?” As he stood up and dusted himself off, he didn’t give Jaune a chance to answer. “Don’t just lay there like a dead guy, we’ve got work to do.”

“We do?” Jaune asked wearily as he picked himself up off the ground.

“Yeah man, come with me,” he said, putting his carefully laid plan into action. “While you were out getting the sap, my team and I came up with a way to help get you well on the way to climbing the ladder at Beacon. It’ll go way beyond that, but only if you play your cards right.” As his teammates gathered the supplies, Cardin found the perfect position to take action.

A nearby hill with tall grass provided all of the cover they needed. From the comfort of his position, he could see all of the remaining members of JNPR thoroughly enjoying the rest of their afternoon. Nora was consuming sap nearly as fast as Ren attempted to collect it. Pyrrha was anticipating the impending sugar rush. Team RWBY was hard at work among them, idle chatter filling the peaceful air. Each of them had a small collection to offer the professor to help their grades. All that was left to do was idle away the rest of the day.

Jaune saw them together, a pit settling in his stomach. He knew he should have been among the group, joining in with the people he wanted to consider his friends. Instead, he felt as though he had just aided in sabotage. The pieces were falling together in a way he wished didn’t add up. “Cardin, what’s going on?”

“Payback.” Cardin said with a sneer as he set his eyes on one woman out of the group.

His sights were set on Pyrrha, and Jaune felt a ball of anxiety form in his throat.

“This is make or break, Jaune. You’re going to learn an important lesson today.” Cardin said to him, a darker tone slipping into his voice. Resentment finding an outlet in the satisfaction he wanted to get out of his victory. “We’ve got rivals in this school, and one of them has crossed the line one too many times. It’s time to take her down a peg.”

“You don’t mean Pyrrha, do you?”

“That’s the girl. She might be your partner, but she’s not in your corner and the moment you get that through your head, the better. That red haired know-it-all thinks she can push us around and tell us what to do. She needs a good wake-up call, and we’re going to give her one. We’ve got everything we need Jaune, thanks to you. Now, all we’ve got to do is follow the plan and get it done.”

Cardin fished out the Rapier Wasps that Jaune had lured into the box the night before. His team had gone to great lengths to spend the afternoon smuggling it carefully with the rest of the supplies. Now, it was time to release them at the target, and the red sap Jaune had collected would be the perfect bait.

“Hey, wait just a second. Cardin you need to be careful with those.” Jaune warned. “You don’t know what those things are capable of.”

“Thanks to one of the essays you wrote for me, I know all I need to.” Cardin said to him. “I gave it a good read, and everything you wrote was solid. Wasps like these love sweet things, and we’ve got their favorite food. Don’t worry, Jaune, this is your last test. Show me you can do this, and I’ll make sure you’re a huntsman no matter what. Hit her with the sap. Then I’ll chuck the box at her. Things will take care of themselves from there.”

“No way!”

“Do it! Prove to me you’ve got the guts.” Cardin demanded, thrusting the jar into Jaune’s hands. “Either that, or I’m going to tell Goodwitch everything I know about your lies to get into Beacon. I’m sure she’ll want to know everything. You’ll be out on your ass before you know it. You don’t really want that, now do you, Jaune?”

He didn’t. Of course he didn’t, but he didn’t want to hurt his teammates either.

There was no pride in this, no honor. Only deception and a sickening sense of betrayal that he would never be able to make up for if he went through with it. Getting expelled would be justified, but hurting Pyrrha this way never could be. He lifted the jar to take aim, but her lessons had resonated with him. Her offer to break Cardin’s legs had been serious, proving that even someone as noble as Pyrrha would be forced to make choices that she didn’t exactly agree with.

The morally gray road that huntsmen and huntresses lived would never be a cleanly cut path. Jaune knew this now. Pyrrha had been right. Sometimes, there really was only one way to deal with someone in this life. Sometimes, violence was the only answer. This was the life he chose despite his father’s wishes. An existence that inspired ruthlessness to breed power and hatred at its very core.

“No.” Jaune said with gritted teeth. “Not like this…”

“What’d you just say to me?” Cardin bit out.

“I said no!” Jaune shot back, the jar flying out of his hand the moment he turned to face the larger man in front of him. The jar landed on Cardin, hitting him square in the chest. Red sap drizzled down his plated armor like blood as Cardin grinned dangerously. Cracking his knuckles, his team surrounded Jaune as a solid punch from Dove sent Jaune to the ground.

“You shouldn’t have done that, you worthless little twerp.” Cardin said as he approached, grabbing Jaune by the collar and lifting him up off the ground to send another punch at his face. “You should have known better than to cross me. I was your golden ticket to the license that you’ve always wanted, and now you’ve gone and fucked up your chances. I hope it was worth it.”

“You better believe it was.” Jaune groaned down on the ground, a thick bruise forming on his face as he felt his body being hoisted up again once more. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“What, did you finally grow a set of balls?” Cardin asked him. “That’s real good for you, Jaune. Real goddamn good, but you're strutting around half-cocked. You’re putting your loyalties in the wrong person. Now, I’m going to give you an opportunity to try to fix this mess you made. If you take your jar and chuck it at her, you might get a failing grade, but I’ll give you another chance. Either that, or I beat the shit out of you, what do you say?”

“Go ahead, do it. Beat me up and get me expelled.” Jaune told him. “You might be able to get rid of me, but the second you go after them, they’ll start fighting ba-” Jaune choked on his words as another slam to the face knocked his jaw, as he bit his tongue.

“Shut up…”

“Why do that if I’m screwed anyway? Besides, it’s the truth. They’ll kick your butt any day of the week.”

“If you don’t shut the hell up, you’re going home in a body bag.”

Another punch, and Jaune was spitting blood out of his mouth. His teeth reddening from the pooling stains. His face burned with pain, his aura flickering around him as he tried to keep it up, failing miserably. He knew he was going to be in for a world of hurt. He just couldn’t bring himself to care. “I don’t care what you do to me, but I’m not going to let you mess with my team. They’re mine, remember?”

“Not for long.” Cardin said, cocking his fist back to do more than bloody the scrawny boy in his grip up a little.

As it impacted, it felt like he punched a brick wall as a white light engulfed them all in a flash before it dissipated. He dropped Jaune to the ground as he held his broken hand, cursing his luck. The rest of his team picked up the slack. Each one of them pounding into Jaune from all sides. Hard kicks and punches thrown into his prone body as the flickering light around him started to phase in and out. His aura failing him, and that now dimmed white light spurring on the rest of his angry team.

Jaune took the beating, covering himself defensively. Coughing out each breath of air his lungs took, he fought for more.

As the pummeling continued the roar of a nearby Grimm stopped it cold. Each of the team CRDL members frozen in fear as the massive Ursa in front of them towered on its hind feet, producing another deep roar and landing heavily on its front paws. It too smelled the sap, and headed directly for Cardin. With glistening white fangs and drool dripping from its mouth as it had found itself a decent meal. The thick liquid dissipated into nothingness before it even hit the ground.

With Cardin cornered and the rest of his team fleeing away, Jaune was the only person that bore witness to the gigantic alpha Grimm stumbling its way to the sap covered man, unarming him with one swift swipe of its claws.

* * *

The roars of the Grimm had been heard from nearby as a deep rumble. Team RWBY and those remaining from JNPR on high alert.

“That’s not good.” Ruby said, already reaching behind her back to draw Crescent Rose at a moment’s notice.

“What was that?” Weiss asked, her back ramrod straight as she held a vial of dust in hand.

“What do you think it was?” Yang groused beside her.

“Better question, where is it?” Nora asked, her own weapon already prepped and ready to down her foe.

“I don’t know.” Yang said as her eyes were planted firmly on Blake.

“Well I’m not going to stand around to find out.” Blake said, cautiously climbing a nearby tree for a better view.

“Blake, what are you doing? Get down from there before you piss something off.”

“I’m fine, Yang.” Blake called out, making the slow climb up. She couldn’t risk upsetting anything that may be nesting in it. “I can see a little bit from here. It’s not to the south. I can’t get a good visual in the north. Trees are in the way. I’d have to go higher.”

“Don’t even think about it.” Ruby said, looking up into the trees. “Get down here Blake, that’s an order.”

Amber eyes rolled as Blake leapt down deftly. Her ears picked up the nearby shouts as she bit her lower lip. The three terrified young men grew closer before the screams of a nearby Ursa started to make sense. Dove, Russel, and Sky barreling on by to make a retreat.

“Yang, you and Blake go find Professor Goodwitch.” Ruby said, pointing to the direction of the meetup point. “Weiss and I will go on ahead.”

The two of them nodded, rushing off. Pyrrha felt a new wave of concern as she knew they needed to act quickly.

“We’re splitting up. Go with them.” Pyrrha said, issuing the order to Ren and Nora, taking action in Jaune’s absence. “I’m going with Ruby.”

As the teams split off in their designated directions, the Ursa in the north was still on a rampage. Cardin lost his weapon and had left it abandoned in the grass as he attempted to dodge the large swipes of its claws. With every successful maneuver, he found himself further away from his weapon and more at risk to be killed. For its size, the Grimm was too fast, and with a powerful leap into the air, it managed to side swipe Cardin and send him tumbling to the ground.

Prone and staring at the massive creature in the face, he braced himself for the impact that never came. Jaune ran in, coming between him and the Ursa with little more than his shield and a prayer. That was how the others found him, trying to face down an Ursa that he was in no condition to fight, and with no skill to kill it with. Weiss was the first to ready her weapon, but just as she was about to launch her attack, Pyrrha stopped her.

“Wait.”

“He’s going to get himself killed.” Weiss refuted.

“We won’t let that happen.” Pyrrha said, as she kept her gaze on the skirmish. “I have a plan.”

* * *

Jaune had managed to provoke the Ursa, but in doing so, he’d left himself open. He rolled out of the way of the massive black paw that tried to come down on him. His safety didn’t last long as the red forest around him twisted and turned each time he dove out of the way. He was barely staying on his feet, and each flurry of his blade bounded off the beast as though his strikes were weak and the Ursa was made of rubber.

His limbs felt heavy, he could hear his own terrified breath shaking from his lips. Every instinct he had was telling him to run for his life. Save himself and get help to save Cardin. Against his better judgement, he stayed and fought. Moments seemed like hours. Time itself meaningless in the face of fatigue and the blood red eyes he continued to face down.

The Grimm launched another attack, sending Jaune flying backwards into the ground. He pushed himself back up, sweat stinging his eyes, aches forming in places that made him sluggish. The taste of blood in his mouth made him feel ill from his earlier beating. He wished his aura would save him, draining away the stiffness he felt every time he moved. Instead, there was only more pain and prolonged combat.

Every move he made jostled him further. It was only pure adrenaline that kept him going, running headlong for the Ursa. His sword was in-hand to buy himself every second he could. Finally, after countless attempts, his sword made contact in more than just a glancing strike. It landed sharp and strong, with enough momentum that he felt it carry up his arm, his muscle constricting around the force.

He could feel the resistance against his blade as it continued to slice along flesh and bone. He smelled the creature’s sour breath hitting his face. The reek of its corruption. Red eyes completely on him, swirling in a bloodlust that demanded to be satisfied.

In those long moments of contact, the sounds of his blade cutting through the Ursa reached his ears. It was muted against the rush of anxiety that flowed through him. Even as the beheaded body slammed onto the ground, it felt surreal. As though the entire experience was something out of a nightmare. Over in a mere blink, but lingering long after.

“Jaune?” Cardin rasped out.

As reality set in along with the sound of Cardin’s voice, Jaune remembered where he was. That he was standing beside his bully and tormentor. That he had just acted to save the life of a person who didn’t think of him as anything more than a pawn. The victory felt slightly bitter after that. Despite himself, he offered his hand as though it were an olive branch.

His acceptance came with a demand. He warned Cardin never to hurt his team or his friends again. All of it continued to feel completely surreal, as though he were still in a dream.

* * *

Three spectators would remember the battle differently. Among the trees, the fight had managed to stir up a few questions. Ruby and Weiss eyeing Pyrrha with different levels of curiosity.

“Uh, what just happened?” Ruby asked as the black glow of Pyrrha’s hand faded around her.

“I told you, I wouldn’t let any harm come to him.” Pyrrha said simply. “I kept my word.”

“That wasn’t what I meant.” Ruby said with an upraised eyebrow.

“Out with it, Pyrrha. What did you just do?” Weiss demanded. “Don’t be vague, either. I’ve never seen you do something like that before. I’ve seen plenty of your fights, and I’ve never seen you use your semblance. I was under the impression that you needed to be quite close to your opponent, or at least in a controlled environment.”

“It’s because usually I don’t need to use it that way.” Pyrrha told them. “Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs, and I have polarity. My semblance isn’t restricted to close combat. Although, the closer I am, the easier it is to use. ”

“Your poll... what?” Ruby trailed off. “Do you have control over polls or something?”

“No, no, no. She means actual polarity, you dolt.” Weiss muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You know, magnetism…”

“Oh, so your semblance is a magnet?” Ruby murmured, looking at Pyrrha with wide eyes.

“In a manner of speaking.” Pyrrha told her with a small laugh.

“It means she has control over magnetic fields, Ruby.” Weiss said with a roll of her eyes. She would probably need to explain the concept further later. “Pyrrha, just how far can your semblance reach?”

“I wouldn’t know the exact details.” Pyrrha shrugged. “I don’t make a habit of using my semblance like that. I don’t plan to do it again unless I must, either. Do me a favor and keep this between us. I wouldn’t want to ruin my reputation.”

“But we have to go tell them what happened.” Ruby said, pointing to the two boys who were busy trying to come to terms with the fact they’d narrowly escaped with their lives.

“We could do that, but I think it would be more beneficial if we kept it to ourselves.” Pyrrha said. “Come on, we should go meet up with the others.”

“But what about Jaune?” Ruby asked. “He looks like he got mauled.”

“He’s standing on his own two feet, isn’t he?” Pyrrha asked with a small smirk. “Mild injuries like that should be expected out in the field.”

“Yeah but he’s all cut up and stuff… Plus, I mean… Cardin’s over there.”

“He’s fine, Ruby.” Weiss cut in, grabbing Ruby by the cloak to drag her away. “Now you heard Pyrrha, keep quiet about this and let’s go before we’re noticed.”

* * *

They made their reports to Professor Goodwitch about the Grimm attack, and the field trip slowly came to a close as the students gathered their gear and headed for the airship. Once they got to Beacon they were sent to the quarantine to clean themselves up and bag their mission clothes to be washed. 

The women’s locker room was in a buzz as students murmured among themselves. It seemed that Glynda was not exempt from the academy policies. She crossed the room with her own amenities in hand, finding a shower stall to undress and clean up. Even Glynda donned a pair of black scrubs when she emerged. Her name embroidered across the back and the insignia of Beacon stitched in the front.

As she ran her fingers through her damp hair, she spent a few moments with her scroll pressed to her ear, speaking to the headmaster. Then, they all sat down to take a meal that was sent to them from the Beacon’s kitchens. Glynda took a seat at the table to congratulate her students on a successful outing, reminding them to prepare for classes the next day.

“I didn’t think teachers were allowed to hang out with students after missions.” Ruby said with a cold glass of milk in hand and a huge hamburger and side salad waiting to be consumed. “I’m kind of surprised that you don’t get your own place to relax.”

“There is no reason to separate us further while we wait for clearance to leave.” Glynda said. “It behooves you to see that faculty members are not above the rules here at Beacon Academy. There is no better way to reflect that, than to exhibit the hygienic practices expected after a mission. It’s rare for first year students to have the opportunity to share a meal with a professor, but the novelty will begin to wear off as you continue your training here.”

“Then we should use this opportunity to our advantage.” Weiss said thoughtfully.

“Nope, nope, nope!” Ruby said. “No talking about classes right now. We’ve studied enough as it is.”

Weiss merely sighed.

“I’m sure you have other questions that aren’t related to classes.” Glynda said idly.

“We can ask those?” Nora chimed in.

Glynda raised an eyebrow, hesitating for a moment. “Yes, you may. Although I’d warn you not to ask the ones I wouldn’t be inclined to answer.”

The table was silent for a moment, but then, Jaune spoke up. “I’ve got one. Why are the professors always in the fourth year dorms, and never with us?”

“Oh yeah, all of the older students were like that in the leadership meeting too.” Ruby added. “Why is that?”

“It comes down to age and experience. Older students are simply more mature and worldly by that point. The divide between professor and student has been mitigated a bit by extensive training.” Glynda said to them kindly, amused by that curiosity. “Although, there is no rule saying we can’t visit younger students in their common areas, it’s just not habitually practiced.”

“But, like you could just show up whenever you wanted, right?” Nora asked.

“Yes, we could join you in the common areas if we wanted. Faculty members are allowed to do as we please, so long as it doesn’t cross particular boundaries.” Glynda replied as she placed some salt and pepper on her salad. “Public spaces are simply that. We do not enter private areas like dorm rooms unless it is an emergency, or we have been called directly to handle a building related issue. If private discussions need to take place, we have our offices for that.”

“Wait, how would you know if someone crossed a line in a dorm room, though?” Yang asked. “I mean, you don’t have cameras in the rooms, do you?”

“No, but we would expect that if any inappropriate actions were taken, that they would be reported. You must understand, you’re choosing to enter into a dangerous profession. You’ll be entering a lifestyle that won’t care much for your well-being.” Glynda told them. “You must learn to be your own advocates. This is one of the reasons that room assignments are separated by team, and not by gender. This is also why you students are often expected to mediate common problems among your peers.”

“Not that we would have anything to fear in the first place.” Weiss said flippantly. “Beacon Academy has never had such an incident incited by a professor.”

“Well, yeah, because they’re not crazy and sick.” Yang told Weiss. “But you never know when a sicko might be out there. Trust me, I’ve had to beat the hell out of people like that, and not just dudes.”

“Our environments are very controlled, for these reasons.” Glynda told them. “The mentorship program prevents abusive actions to be hidden to a degree, and the faculty here does our best to mitigate the rest of it. If we see a pattern of unhealthy or worrisome behavior, we look into it immediately. However, the little risk that is posed when older students befriend the faculty here is usually worth it.”

“Why’s that?” Nora asked.

“In order to become fine hunters and huntresses, you should spend time with your superiors. For now, you have your upperclassmen, but that won’t always be so.” Glynda said. “Eventually, your mentors will graduate. Therefore, we compensate for that loss. We become your mentors if you choose to seek us out in that capacity. By the time you graduate you’ll be licensed as well. At that point, it’s perfectly reasonable for casual friendships to flourish. That’s the general ethos that all professors share here at Beacon. We’re not teaching you to be our subordinates. We’re guiding you to stand as equals beside us.”

“I bet General Ironwood doesn’t like that very much.” Weiss muttered under her breath unhappily.

Glynda overheard it, and merely chuckled mildly. “We’ve found our methods to be very effective for the mental health of newly licensed hunters, so we continue the practice. However, do not allow General Ironwood’s bullishness fool you. The faculty there has their own ways of acknowledging students. We wouldn’t work so closely with them, if we didn’t see the value in it. You benefit from General Ironwood’s ideology as well, Miss Schnee. Working closely as educators allows students from all kingdoms to choose the academy that best suits them.”

* * *

After their meal, Jaune was sent to the infirmary to be examined for any serious injuries and to be placed on mild aura enhancers. At the same time, the rest of the students were processed out and released to the dorms.

It wasn’t until after sunset that Pyrrha received a message on her scroll to meet Jaune on the roof. He had been pretty quiet on the ride back and during dinner, but she hadn’t forced him into talking since he seemed to have something on his mind. She was mildly surprised to know that he wasn’t going to be spending time with Cardin again tonight. As she approached her team leader, the saddened look he regarded her with softened her own expression.

An apology was what he knew he needed to offer, but the two simple words weren’t enough. Even as he said them, he felt weak, and as though he was unworthy of being a Beacon Academy student. Validating her efforts to help him seemed idiotic too. He had almost allowed her to get hurt because of his actions. He’d failed as his team’s leader. Even if Pyrrha did forgive him, he wondered what sort of huntsman he could truly become.

Pyrrha just brushed it off, accepted his apology and book-ended her statement with the promise of pancakes if he came back to the room. Nora had apparently destroyed the syrup, as expected. Despite that, the offer was genuine, all of it. His team missed him, or so Pyrrha said.

He couldn’t even think he’d be worthy of that. He hadn’t earned it. He stopped her, asking for her training and guidance. Pyrrha only smirked to herself, turning on her heel and pushing him to the ground.

“Your stance is all wrong.” Pyrrha told him as he protested the action. He’d fallen on his butt enough today, and this time he was just as sore as all of the others. “You need to be wider and lower to the ground. If you’re really ready to start training, let’s try that again…”

He accepted the hand that reached out to him, her kindness boundless in the face of his own stupidity. This time, he took her offer hoping that it would make a difference.

They trained a little that night, but it was the ferocity in Pyrrha’s eyes that caught his attention the most. Repeatedly tripping over himself and losing his center of balance was a small price to pay for the way she kept her eyes trained on him, correcting him over and over again, until he had the small details right. Even then, it was not enough to protect himself when Pyrrha tossed a kick his way out of nowhere.

“Now you’re too heavy on your feet,” she said when he ended up on the ground again. “Just because you need to keep your center of gravity low doesn’t mean you stay fused to the ground. If I throw a kick that low, jump over it next time.”

“I didn’t think you were going to do that,” he said, standing up to get back into position.

Pyrrha already had other thoughts in mind as she took a few steps away, finding herself a place to sit as she looked up at the sky. “You can put your guard down, I think we’re done training for the night.”

“Already?”

“There are other things you need to think about too, not just your training. You have other responsibilities to live up to now, and those are just as important too.” Pyrrha told him quietly. “You have to tell Ren and Nora the truth about how you got into Beacon. I doubt they’ll out you to the faculty, but they have a right to know.”

“Yeah.” Jaune said. “I know…”

* * *

Another day of class, another delivery mission for Blake, and another night at the bar.

Blake stuck to juice this time, sipping on it idly as she watched Yang twiddle her drink umbrella between her fingertips. The Faunus didn’t really know what to make of Yang, but she found herself offering a tiny smile in amusement as the blonde woman talked about nonsense during the late hour. She was certainly chatty, but Blake had begun to realize that Yang didn’t exactly expect long or complicated answers in return.

“So then I find out that Peach isn’t giving me a tutor for my aura training.”

“You still haven’t gotten control of it?”

“Nah.”

“It seems odd that you’re still having problems with it.”

“Yeah, I don’t know if I’ll ever figure it out the way I’m doing it right now.”

“Maybe you need a different motivator.”

“What do you mean?”

At this Blake merely shrugged, bringing her glass to her lips. “You can’t hurt a glass ball. The stakes aren’t set that high.”

“I’m not practicing on another person again, remember last time?” Yang shook her head. “It’s always like that, Blake. I’ve never been able to use it on other people. I really don’t think I can.”

“Maybe that’s part of the problem.” Blake said softly. “You have to believe that you can do it. Aura isn’t meant to lash out like that.”

“Professor Peach says that it happens sometimes.” Yang told her. Her parents had passed down this aura onto her. Weaponized by nature. Her dad had overcome it, apparently. Her mom hadn’t. Yang wasn’t sure who she took after more. “What if I’m just someone who can’t? I was told that sometimes special training is handed down to people with dangerous aura like mine, but that training like that was generally seen as a bad thing.”

“I don’t know, Yang.” Blake said as Faunus came down to light the fires along the walls. Soon it would be time to dance, but they wouldn’t be able to join in tonight. They would need to go to the airship soon enough. “It’s going to make your medical classes harder though, that’s for sure.”

“I still have some time before those start. Maybe I’ll figure it out.” Yang idly toyed with the umbrella, she just couldn’t get passed how good Blake looked in the flickering firelight. Those amber eyes seemed molten against the flickering flames. Her pitch black hair framing her face like smoke against soft skin. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Depends on what it is.”

“That’s fair, I guess.” Yang said toying with the question at the tip of her tongue, thinking how to phrase it. She could never put her finger on the reason why, but Blake seemed so guarded. More so than Weiss, if that were even possible. Now Yang had a clue as to why Weiss was probably so edgy, holding her personal interests close to the chest because anything else simply terrified her. It wasn’t an excuse, but Yang liked to keep an open mind. She couldn’t help but wonder if Blake was the same, guilty because she felt she had to be, with no escape. “Do you like being with us?”

“Would it matter even if I didn’t?” Blake asked her then. “It isn’t as though I can change teams.”

“But, you do like it then?” Yang asked, latching onto the vague hope that the woman was simply being obtuse again. “I want you to, you know. I get that it’s not always an easy thing being on our team. Things are going good right now, I’d like to keep it that way. It’s not just because it needs to be that way. I want it that way because I want you to think I’m a good partner, and for Ruby’s sake too.”

It wasn’t the first time that Blake felt guilt settling in her stomach. Looking into lilac eyes, she could tell that it wasn’t the liquor talking. Yang was too honest for alcohol itself to be the truth serum that so many people claimed it to be. Maybe if she had been dipping into booze too, it would have been easier to talk about this. She couldn’t help but be grateful that Yang hadn’t asked under that circumstance. A little bit of reciprocated honesty became a calculated risk.

“I used to be part of a bigger team than this, and my leader wasn’t the sort of person that could be trusted.” Blake explained slowly, leaving her Faunus heritage and the matter of the White Fang as far away from the conversation as she possibly could. “By the time I realized that, it was too late. It’s not that I don’t want to trust you. It’s that the last time I was deceived, I was put in a dangerous situation. You have to understand, my past isn’t something to be proud of.”

“The past sucks.” Yang muttered, biting on her lower lip. She could only wonder what happened, digging too deep would just throw that stupid wall back up between them again. Yang hated that emotional barrier. She couldn’t figure it out for the life of her, and dragging it down forcefully just wouldn’t help. “I get that, but it’s not like we don’t have our own demons, Blake. Whatever happened, it probably won’t happen again.”

“You don’t know that, Yang.” Blake shot back. “You don’t even know what happened.”

“But you’re not going to tell me, are you?”

Blake shook her head. “No.”

“You don’t think we’re bad people, do you?”

“No…” Blake sighed at length. “I don’t, and that’s the problem. I didn’t think he was a bad person either. Misguided a little, but not bad.” She should have seen all the signs more clearly. She should have done the math, put the pieces together, and left much sooner. “I was wrong, Yang. I’ve never been more wrong in my entire life. I promised myself I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.”

“Okay.” Yang said easily enough. She didn’t like it, but she would take the truth that was offered to her. She didn’t know Blake’s past, and couldn’t guess at it. Doing that would only cause more pain if she was wrong. Worst still, she didn’t want to be right in her assumptions. “Take your time then, figure things out. No matter how long it takes, I’m not going to push you into it. Just know that if you feel like giving me a little trust I won’t mess it up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 5/31/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: We will return with JNPR in a little bit, but for now it’s time to spotlight tam RWBY again.  
> It should come as no surprise to the fans of RWBY that Monty took a great bit of inspiration from several of his favorite types of media when crafting the RWBY series. The Final Fantasy series was one such place that he pulled a great deal of inspiration from. As a huge Final Fantasy fan myself when I thought about how to craft this fiction and make it into a living breathing world, I looked at the Final Fantasy franchise for inspiration for some key elements.
> 
> My favorite of these games is Final Fantasy XI, which is an MMORPG (not to be confused with FFXIV). There are many similarities between FFXI and the world of RWBY (although this is true of many Final Fantasy titles). However, FFXI is my absolute favorite and it’s the source of my inspiration in many ways. For example, the way I used dust combinations in this fiction during arc 1 is an inspiration that came from years of using “Synthesis Crystals” and the “Elemental Days” in FFXI. Crystals are used in crafting/powering the world of Vana’diel. They can also shatter into dust when the crystal breaks due to being unstable. Crystal dust has other properties and uses. Applying that to the RWBY world only enhances the idea of dust, I feel. It doesn’t diminish it.  
> That’s the method that I use when adding things into the story that are inspired heavily from FFXI. As such, side cast characters may also include an occasional FFXI character when and where it suits me to have them. These aren’t arbitrary additions, I assure you. They have a place, infrequent but purposeful. This chapter introduces one such character: Lady Curilla V Mecru, or “Curilla” for short. In the cannon of the game, she is a knight that is highly respected with a no-nonsense attitude and she’s a member of royalty. She also has Silver Eyes, which are also fairly rare in FFXI, though “eye powers” have different connotations and are usually gold, not silver. However, having Silver Eyes fits where I need her in my story, so you’ll see her pop up from time to time.
> 
> One final fun fact: In the cannon of the game, Curilla has injured one of her eyes in a duel due to her own sword backfiring on her, and she has a scar just like Weiss. Curilla hides the scar behind her long bangs, deeming herself as ugly even while many still believe her to be breathtakingly beautiful.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXVI**

While team JNPR were suffering their own growing pains, all was not perfectly well for a certain member of team RWBY, either.

A specially marked package came addressed to Weiss on a sunny afternoon. A sea blue silk dress was sent all the way from Mistral. Weiss frowned down at the item as she pulled it from its careful wrappings. The enclosed note was something to be expected, yet she couldn’t help but feel a small pit in her stomach at the thought of being given such a gift. As a woman, she had her pride. As a Schnee, she had family obligations. Both of those things sat at war with her ambition to become a huntress.

Weiss sighed to herself as she looked at the dress. It only reminded her of the disparity between the life she wanted and the life she lived. It wasn’t normal or natural for a woman of such an esteemed social class to lower herself to that of the common people. Becoming a huntress could very easily sully what many considered to be her designed role in life. It brought into question her social station. Few socialites could do what Winter had done for herself. Those that did were highly regarded.

Winter had made the gamble because the life of a blue blood itself disinterested her. Her older sister could have gone from riches to rags, perfectly happy to live a commoner life. The military itself lacked many comforts, but Winter never once complained about lacking anything. Her pride overcame the meager existence of military life. It was one of the few ways that Weiss truly envied her older sibling.

As an heiress, Weiss couldn’t afford to lose her public standing. If she wanted the company, she needed to maintain her perfect image to the best of her ability. Her father had high hopes for her, and high goals to go along with them. She was a media darling, and she was expected to stay that way. The company itself was a distant consideration in her father’s mind. He had more immediate plans for his middle child. The company could wait until he was ready to retire and she was experienced enough to accept it.

In the meantime he wanted her to focus on her status, talents, and finding a proper spouse. Those two things were part of his grand road map for her future, and while she could see the merit in his thinking, neither of those whims appealed to her in practice.

She sighed at length as she dialed her father’s number by heart. The call quality would be poor if she didn’t use the communication center at the library. This call demanded the utmost privacy. She wasn’t about to risk it. The ringtone singled a few times before her father’s image appeared on screen.

“Weiss?” He asked with his lips downturned into a frown. “What happened?” She knew better than to bother him when he was busy. They always planned their calls and gatherings for strictly that reason. It had to be a damn good reason.

It was a comfort to see he did actually care for her well-being when his temper wasn’t in the way. If only he was like this more often, she may have been closer to him as a result. “Father, I have a bit of a social difficulty that has arisen.” Weiss told him, cutting directly to the point. Pointlessness would only enrage him. “I received a gift today from Lady Curilla V Mecru. It’s a lovely dress, but it came enclosed with a letter saying that she wishes to see me tomorrow evening. It appears that she is in Vale on business and found the timing fortuitous.”

“Why is that such a problem?” He asked rather seriously. “I did say that I wanted you to get to know this woman. You’ve gone out with her before, it shouldn’t be any different tomorrow.”

“Yes, I know, that’s precisely my problem.” Weiss told him. “During our dates across the kingdoms, time was an issue. I had ample to prepare and look presentable for a proper night out. You know how long it takes me to do my hair, and tomorrow is a school night, Father.”

“Hmm?  _ Oh! _ I’m being daft, I see,” he said as the implication dawned on him. His daughter wanted to look nice. Preening at the mirror as most young people of high society tended to do when excited for the evening out. He found himself smirking then, amused in a way only a father could be when his daughter sought approval. “You want my permission to skirt your studies for the evening. How bold of you, highly questionable to say the least.”

“It’s the furthest thing from proper.” Weiss murmured. Frankly, asking his permission wasn’t her intention at all. At least, it wasn’t her intention the way he seemed to think it was. She had been hoping that he would be annoyed that she would place her schooling aside for a date. She was hoping that he would contact Curilla himself to forbid it. “It’s quite indecorous to think of, wouldn’t you say?”

“Welcome to the struggle of burning the candle at both ends.” Jacques said with a mild shrug and a small wave of his hand. “Why, I would even go so far as to say that this, my dear, is the foremost balancing act of leading a fulfilling life.”

“I hardly think that’s the terminology for my current problem.” Weiss told him rather dryly before she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Surely you can see why accepting this date might pose an issue. Rumors have it that there’s a pop quiz forthcoming in Professor Port’s class. He tends to surprise us with them often. It could reflect poorly in my grade if I wasn’t prepared.”

“Yes, you pose a valid concern.” Jacques said, pausing for a moment to think before he sighed. “Weiss, I’ll be honest with you. If you didn’t seek matters of the heart as a young lady of your station should, I’d be concerned. You told me you were feeling a little out of sorts last time we spoke, perhaps this could be a reason why.” At that, he nodded ever so slightly to himself. “It’s normal for a young woman to consider settling down properly. There’s hardly anything indecorous in reconsidering a more docile way of life.”

“I wish to be a huntress, that hasn’t changed.” Weiss told him. “Should I truly pose such a risk to my studies?”

“Oh, now I was young once, you know. I understand your predicament all too well.” The man told her with a small chuckle. “I was a strapping young man in the prime of my youth. The world was my oyster. I had to carefully consider my actions, much like you must do now. It shows great merit that you haven’t acted rashly. That I feel is in need of a reward.”

“Father, please this is no laughing matter. It’s truly a problem.” She muttered unhappily, most of all because she didn’t want to think of the man on the screen as anything other than her father. How he reached that point could have been left vague for her entire life and she would have been thankful. She certainly didn’t want to think of him seeking relational pursuits.

“You take after your mother in that way. She was quite vivacious at your age you know. Yet, you have my cunning and desire for success. I have needed to be strict with you because I see your potential. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t see that it weighed heavily on you at times…”

“So, you’ll allow it, Father?” Weiss asked him, praying he would change his mind, and knowing that was probably impossible. “I feel I should warn you, testing is taken quite seriously here.”

“I would never want you to make this a habit, Weiss. That being said, you are a young lady now, as you constantly remind me,” he said, leaning back in his chair and tenting his fingers. “It pleases me to know you have taken great consideration in this and have sought my advice. Know that you may continue to do so.”

“Yes, Father.” Weiss said, biting her tongue when all that she wanted to do was cringe. “Of course. In light of that newfound agreement, could we please return to the matter at hand?” She couldn’t help but withhold an unpleasant shiver at his form of teasing. It happened so rarely she had forgotten that he had a sense of humor at all. In fact, she almost would have preferred his rage.

“There is no need to be embarrassed, Weiss.” He told her, still far too amused for his daughter’s liking. Clearing his throat he affixed a natural expression upon his face, blue eyes still glinting with mischief. “I approve of Lady Curilla, this you know. I wouldn’t allow you to court her at all if I thought her unbecoming. I shall allow it. You may have this date of yours. Enjoy the evening amongst civilized company, in fact I believe this is exactly what you need to bolster your spirits. Please don’t forget to offer my warmest regards.”

“I won’t forget.” Weiss told him, cursing her fate. “Thank you for your time as well as your advice, Father.”

“Anytime dear, anytime. Now, I really must be off. Have a pleasant day, dear,” he said before cutting the call to return to his work.

“Damn it!” She cursed as she closed her scroll and pocketed it.

* * *

The semblance training was proving difficult as Yang tried to hone her skills. Fate seemed to be working against her. This training session was even more annoying than all of the ones that preceded it. For some reason that Professor Peach refused to explain, a small black bird was proving to be the worst distraction possible as it continually pecked at her constantly during every failed attempt and subsequently shattered orb.

“Gah, fuck off!” Yang finally shouted, managing to send the bird away with a violent wave of her hand that it narrowly dodged. As it flew off to perch on the back of a different desk. It ruffled its feathers at her in a way that infuriated her even more. “What in the hell is wrong with that thing anyway?”

“More than you’d likely imagine, even if I told you.” Peach told the girl dryly, sending a scathing glance in Raven’s direction. It cawed at her, its small chest puffing up as though it were just as annoyed with the people in the room as they were with her.

“It seems like it understands you. Is a hunter’s bird or something?” Yang asked, knowing often animals were used as companions and tools of the trade.

“You might say that…”

“Is it yours?”

“No, it’s not mine.” Peach replied with a small grumble in her voice. “It does tend to frequent the campus though. It was trained here after all.”

“I thought pets weren’t allowed on campus.” Yang said softly as she looked over at the bird. “Is that a new thing?”

“Pets aren’t allowed on campus, and never will be. However a huntsman’s animal is hardly a pet, and that distinction is the key. Mind you, such things only occur under special circumstances.” The professor told her. “Some semblance users, for prime example, require an animal to use that semblance effectively. In my younger years I once knew a Faunus able to commune with wolves. An odd fellow, but certainly not the strangest semblance I’ve seen.”

“Damn, that sounds awesome.”

“Perhaps, however that bird isn’t such a creature.”

The bird cawed at her once again, as though to shut her up.

“That’s it, I’ve had quite enough out of you,” the professor said as she stood up, annoyed with the uninvited guest herself as she opened the window nearby. “Out!” She ordered the creature. “Be gone with you.”

The creature simply cawed at her before flying higher than either one of them could reach. The bird finding itself a comfortable perch on the top of the curtain rod. 

“Mind your manners or I’ll clip those wings of yours,” she said with a huff, rolling her eyes at the way her student eyed her as though she had grown a second head. “And as for you, stop gawking and return to your studies.”

The elderly professor didn’t know if Raven simply had a sick sense of humor, or if she was truly interested in her daughter. The way those beady red eyes fixated on the girl that hunched over at the desk and grabbed another small glass orb indicated the latter. The way Raven refused to show her identity proved the former. Either way, it was producing a migraine made worse with each shattering orb that Yang failed to place her aura into properly.

“Perhaps a change of training is in order.” Peach said then. “Follow me.”

“Where are we going?” Yang asked, grabbing the box following the elderly professor out of the classroom.

“Someplace that the bird won’t follow. You may leave the orbs. I have a thought in mind.”

Yang placed them down on the desk, following the professor out of the room as the bird took flight, a muted thud following soon after as it flew into the closed door. “Uh, is it going to be alright? We didn’t break its neck or something, did we?”

“Not hardly, although perhaps that finally knocked some sense into it.” Peach said as she ushered Yang down the hall. “The bird will be fine, it would take far more than that to harm it. Although I would keep an eye on the creature if I were you. It seemed quite fascinated with you. It likely won’t be the last time you come across it.”

“Riiigght…”

“You once asked me about a certain someone, did you not?”

“My mom.” Yang bit out. “What, does it belong to her? Is that her bird?”

“I’m not at liberty to speak on the matter.”

“Bullshit!” Yang raged semblances flaring as she strode ahead and cut the woman off. “I’m sick of these games. If you know where she is, tell me!”

“I’ve told you what I can.” Peach told her, not even remotely intimidated by the girl’s bluster. It ran in the family after all. For all of her red eyed gaze and smoking hair, Yang was just a child in the grand scheme of the world. Peach felt her tail flicked curiously at the girl, wondering just what Yang was thinking trying to intimidate a faculty member. It certainly wasn’t the first time Peach came across such insolence, and it wouldn’t be the last. “If you wish to know more, woman up and do something constructive with all that energy. Now then, we have training to continue. I have a tight schedule so we must be going.”

* * *

The training Professor Peach had in mind was more exhausting than Yang had ever imagined it would be, and with an exhausted yawn she stumbled back into the room with a fizzled out semblance and her aura in need of rest. She hastily kicked off her shoes before falling face first onto the nearest bed she came to.

“What are you doing, Yang?” Blake mumbled as she looked down at her partner who began using her thigh as a pillow.

“I’m dying.” Yang told her. “I’m withering away and about to go poof.”

Blake rolled her eyes at the melodramatics. “Well, could you not die on my bed at least? That would be unpleasant. Go die on the floor.”

“Blake, no. Please, anything but that.” Yang complained, closing her eyes and clinging. “Let me just relax here for a second.”

“What happened to you, anyway?” Blake asked, almost regretting the question as Yang groaned into the meat of her thigh.

“First this stupid asshole bird kept pissing me off. Then Professor Peach gets the brilliant idea to change up my training. The next thing I know I’m making out with the floor because this new training involves Professor Goodwitch kicking my ass into next week.”

“Try that again without sounding like an idiot…”

Yang let out a slow sigh as she lifted her head up from Blake’s lap. “Professor Peach thinks I let my semblance influence my aura, and not the other way around. So, she had Professor Goodwitch burn out my semblance until there was nothing left. That takes a way longer than you would think, by the way. Then, Professor Goodwitch cut her finger a little with a knife and told me to try healing that…”

“Did it work?”

“Nope, burned her a few times trying, but her own aura mostly took care of it. She still has a little bit of a burn though.” Yang said, her voice defeated. “I got way more than a few lucky shots in on her too. I know she was letting me drain her aura down a little, she had to be. She left herself way open more than once. Hell, I even had her reeling back a few times, there’s no way that was skill. Worst of all, I’m doing the same thing tomorrow.” She put her head back down on her makeshift pillow. “Guess if I don’t want to get my ass kicked on the daily, I’ve got to figure this out.”

“Yang, I sympathize, but could you please get off my leg?” Blake asked, wiggling the appendage in an attempt to break free of the clinging. The blond made the most pitiful sound to ever grace her ears as Blake rolled her eyes. “Fine, but I’m trying to read, so don’t bother me.”

“You’re the best, Blakey.” Yang cheered, snuggling closer.

“Shut up and lay still.” Blake groused. “Reading.”

* * *

Unfortunately for Professor Peach, Yang was not the only student on her schedule. As the sun began to set, Blake Belladonna arrived.

“I’d imagine it must be quite difficult for you. Living among humans that have no concept of your heritage or our robust social norms probably isn’t an easy thing to endure on your own like this.” Professor Peach replied during another one of her personal sessions with the Faunus entrusted to her care. “I’d suspect that it would be made worse by the fact that you don’t seek out the Faunus here within Beacon to attain the comfort of our shared unity.”

“I’ve been doing fine on my own.” Blake said, and it wasn’t a lie. Everything was going as well as she might expect it to, given the fact that she kept her emotional distance as best as she could. “It isn’t so terrible using human socializations.”

“Yet, they lack a great deal of perception.” Professor Peach replied mildly. “I say this fondly, humans aren’t as keen in the sense as Faunus. They never will be. While it makes hiding among them simple, it makes bonding with them to any degree vastly difficult.” She had promised the Belladonna’s she would look after Blake personally. A favor for friends she considered very dear to her given their vast history that had now faded with the times. She owed them a great deal for advances in the Faunus movement, a debt that the elderly professor felt could never be repaid. “It is only when a human truly knows you as you are that a true bond can form.”

“But they’re not needlessly cruel, either.” Blake told her. “I’ve noticed that while hiding among them. They don’t have our same social order, but to say they don’t have any order at all isn’t right. I just haven’t quite figured out how to equate their social hierarchy to our own.”

“That’s because theirs is more fluid in its very nature,” the professor explained. “Of course most of them aren’t cruel. The vast population are only a bit dim when it comes to Faunus. It’s narrow-minded and idiotic to believe otherwise. They know only what they have been taught, and they have been taught much too little. It falls onto Faunus to teach humans about ourselves. If we choose not to do so, how could we even claim we desire equality?”

“You think this is unnatural, don’t you?”

“Absolutely not, I am the only Faunus professor around here with any sort of seniority. If I were to think you were strange, then I would need to think the same of myself. I was hired back in a time when many still thought Faunus incapable of higher education, much less teaching it.”

“Most of our brothers and sisters from the tribes would think I’m a traitor.” Blake said, her bow crumpling against her will. “The White Fang will think that way. My parents hated that I always hid my ears when I got older.”

The professor thought on that. She recalled a darker time in history. Had lived through oppression and chaos, using her skills as a huntress to fight humans instead of Grimm. There was blood on her hands, irredeemable loss of life and limb that she would never be able to atone for. Then again, that was the mark of a storied history. It wasn’t something that she could be proud of.

There was nothing prideful in senseless conflict.

The oldest of war heroes felt the bitter emotions of a divide that couldn’t easily be mended with time. Those who remembered passed on that bitterness to the new generations. Those generations carried that burden with them upon their shoulders, implied and expected because of the tragedies their forebears had suffered. It was rather stupid when she took her time to really think about it.

“We are more than just our traits,” she replied then. “We should be able to accept ourselves as we are, of course. There is nothing to be gained by the feud between humans and Faunus. Equality itself can’t be won over a pool of blood and sinister intent. It’s pointless to consider living among humans a traitorous action in and of itself. If we think that way, we only further segregate ourselves. If we do that, we promote the logic of bigotry on both sides. There isn’t any value in that.”

Bitterness begot bitterness, and that cycle was as cruel as it was pointless. The only true ground to gain had come from the White Fang of the Belladonna’s time. That was a time of change, when unifying together meant more than simply a mass of Faunus crying out in rage, flooding the streets. The White Fang of their era became an organization that interested curious humans and welcomed the questions with open hearts and mind.

Steps were made, bridges built, and ties bound together. If the organization had maintained that stance in the continued fact of adversity, more progress could have been made. The proof had been placed in front of them time and time again, but emotions were fickle things. The pains of the past weren’t quick to heal, and the White Fang as it stood today could never realistically hope for those same strides.

The civil disputes would wage on until Faunus of the White Fang saw their errors and sought for peace once more.

“That being said, I am concerned for you.” Peach continued. “You even have a Schnee on your team, it’s an interesting place to be.”

“She’s not so bad.”

“I know that. The question is, do you truly know her yourself?” The professor asked. “Or is it simply that you only know of the propaganda that is so easy to believe? I firmly think that this is an opportunity for you. However, I also believe it’s not my place to expect you to follow in your father’s footsteps. He would have made an attempt to extend the olive branch, and you know this. I can only wonder what you will do.”

“I won’t tell them.” Blake said quietly. “Not now, maybe not ever.”

“Very well then,” the professor replied as she pulled a textbook from the corner of her desk. “Even so, if you insist on hiding as a human, there may come a time when you fall for one. We should discuss the practice of mating where it applies to humans, and the reasonable limitations that come along with it.”

“That really isn’t necessary.” Blake said, paling a little.

“Oh, I am very sure it is.”

“It is not.” Blake said, puffing up with squared shoulders. “I’m sick of this class anyway.”

“Careful you don’t overstep your boundaries, child.”

“I am not a child!”

The elderly woman frowned, she would have no argument on this. Pinching at a fold in the bow and an ear underneath, pulling it upright in a way that made the girl wince. “I believe that you are. You shall do as I tell you, understood?”

“Let go of my ear…” Blake half growled, a grave error as soon as she realized it happened. The professor twisted at her ear unhappily. “Ow!” Her lips twisted into a snarl, another error. She should have submitted to her elder and authority figure. She didn’t, and she paid. Her growl turned into a breathless squeak when she felt claws make contact with her skin instead.

“Don’t make me wallop you.” Peach growled, her nails pricking at the back of Blake’s neck instead. It took very little force to get the girl to the ground. It was a display of dominance that demanded to be heeded. “I’m old, not weak. I could still very easily tan your hide. Remember this the next time you forget your place.”

Blake kept her head low as the professor released her. A third mistake would have the professor acting on that statement. Her scent told Blake it wasn’t a threat, it was a promise. It wasn’t anger Blake smelled. No, it was that of tolerance that was waning due to the lack of respect over a command. As Blake said nothing, the scent of that annoyance cooled back down to nothingness. As it faded, the smell of placidity returned. The professor’s usual scent drifting back into the air, soft and hardly noticeable. The way all Faunus were when they were relaxed.

Blake felt it then, she was absolved of her transgression.

The scent and the retraction of claws at the back of her neck told her this. Still, moving too quickly without an invitation after such a reprimand could be seen as a cocky move. Only someone stupid would try. She had to wait until she was invited to leave her defeated position on the floor. She was taller after all, and standing above the woman without an express invitation to do so wouldn’t be welcomed.

“I have no remorse for you wayward young alphas and your incessant posturing. There is a time and place, and it is not within the confines of this class room,” she said with a sigh, slapping the book onto the floor in front of her student. The last hints of her annoyance slipping away as she spoke. “Now, if you’re quite finished, there is learning to be done. Take your seat so that we can begin.”

Blake got up and moved quickly. It wasn’t out of fear, but rather respect. She hadn’t been put in her place like that in years. She had forgotten that others were even capable of doing something like that to her.

As Ghira’s daughter, most Faunus who knew her never would think to try it. In her section of the White Fang, Adam might as well have been king. No one dared to cross her among them. Her parents rarely reached that level of forceful reprimand themselves. The last time she could remember it even happening was years ago. A faint memory at best. She ran into the middle of a busy street as a young child, terrifying her parents and earning a harsh scolding from both of them when they feared she could have been hit by oncoming traffic. The smell of fear was all over them that day.

She firmly recalled the way her father growled in displeasure then. The way her mother’s usually calm eyes had narrowed down to slits, and the feminine claws that lingered at the back of her neck as they made it quite clear that such disobedience would never happen again. She remembered how quickly that anger faded, how swiftly they pulled her into a hug in the aftermath. That was how quickly the punishment itself slid into forgiveness.

It was the Faunus way of life, a way that Blake had momentarily forgotten thanks to being surrounded by humans. It was confusing in more ways than one.

* * *

A singing career was bland and superficial at best. Good for the press, but of little help to anybody. If a huntress with a noble birth such as herself was able to keep her prestige, she could do far more than someone in the arts could ever accomplish. As for finding a spouse, Weiss found herself equally disinterested at that present moment in her life.

Perhaps it was simply that she hadn’t met the right person. Then again the woman she was currently seeing was far from the worst that she had tried to date in the past. She was significantly older, but well established. At least her father had stopped trying to pair her with egotistical men that she had nothing in common with, and that was a small victory. However the women he approved of were very select and few in nature. High profile, older, and very well-off.

She was tired of dating women so much older than herself. They were well educated, but generally uninteresting. Outside of physical attraction, fond friendship, and shared ambition, Weiss felt nothing romantically for Curilla.

Her father’s goals in the arrangement were simple of course. A marriage agreement would unify two powerful bloodlines. It would give him access to territory not currently in his jurisdiction. Such things were paramount among wealthy weddings, and Curilla was well-loved by the people in Mistral as a huntress of noble standing.

Still, Weiss knew her place. If she were to marry a woman so much older than her, she would be little more than a trophy wife. Her power in the relationship lessened by nature. At nearly ten years her senior, Curilla had endured the huntress life with only the finest acclaim to earn from her efforts. She had been chosen as a possible suitor when Weiss had discreetly come out of the closet to her father. He hadn’t been happy about the admission, but tolerated the circumstance and began a search for a wife instead of a husband. He needed a successful union for his children, because divorce was a scandal the upper class rarely tolerated. He would search high and low for the right person, and that was one of the few comforts she had going for her.

However, his views were still unrealistic. He thought a woman would need to be far more impressive in her accomplishments than any man of equal standing. That meant searching for someone with a name that preceded herself. If Weiss married someone like that, she knew that her own goals would be dismissed. She didn’t want that, she didn’t want any part of it. She placed the dress down with a sigh, knowing that she had to prepare for her date in Vale that evening.

Despite the situation, she considered Curilla a close friend. She clung to that silver lining as she began to prepare. Curilla would see that they had a nice evening, and that was always a guarantee.

It was in the middle of her preparations that Yang came back to the room, letting out a slow whistle. “Woah... Weiss, what’s the occasion?”

“I have a date tonight,” she said primly, the silk dress upon her body covering her like a glove. “Do not expect me to return until well beyond a reasonable hour. I’ll be receiving a personal escort off of Beacon property and I will return the same way.”

“Right…” Yang said slowly, lilac eyes drifting over the short woman in question. Her mouth became uncomfortably dry. “Well, you look amazing.”

The dress was snug in the places it mattered, hugging her hips and her behind with a low cut down the center of her back. Dipping low enough to be thought of as improper for anyone that wouldn’t be a taken woman. The front of the dress itself was a mix of simple silk and elegant embroidery. The sweeping design helping to draw attention to the modest cleavage that Weiss had, while also making up for being less endowed in the first place.

It was her legs that were the most attractive, slits coming to the knee on both sides of the dress, allowing a peak at the silky smooth skin beneath it. Her legs were one of the best assets she had in her appearances, and the dress facilitated her figure perfectly.

“I’m glad you think so.” Weiss told her as she applied a tiny bit of make-up, setting aside the brush she had been using to blend the gentle colorings on her face. The scar that usually sat over her eye was noticeably hidden away as though it had magically disappeared. “Yang this is a personal question, and if you refuse to answer I won’t be offended. However, you wouldn’t happen to have any protection that I might acquire, do you?”

“Oh, condoms? Yeah, I’ve got a few.”

“Oh, no... not those.” Weiss told her slowly. Hesitating as she weighed her options before merely letting out a soft sigh. Of what little she knew of Yang, she knew that the woman was hardly a prude. The question she truly had wouldn’t likely offend her, not if the pornographic magazines were any indication in the slightest. “I was hoping you may have a few dental dams. Unfortunately prophylactics of any kind are difficult to purchase discreetly in my current position.”

“Those? Yeah, I’ve totally got a few of them someplace. Just a sec.” Yang said awkwardly, nearly rushing over to her drawer to grab a few of them. The new information nearly shattered what little composure Yang had as she came to the realization that Weiss Schnee was going on a date with a woman. She focused on her search at hand, locating the box that she kept on hand in her underwear drawer. “So, uh, are fruity flavors good for you? I’ve got strawberry and peach.”

“Either will do.” Weiss replied, though in truth she would have preferred the peach flavoring. She felt saying that would be a bridge too far. She could already feel the heat creeping up her cheeks as she realized that Yang knew exactly where this night would end up. Yang practically handed her what looked to be half of the box, notably looking away from the blue eyes that regarded the offering. “Thank you.” Weiss replied, taking two of the peach ones and placing them in the small white purse she took with her on dates. “Oh, and Yang?”

“Yeah?” The blond asked, chancing a glance at the woman in front of her. She completely regretted where her mind drifted, knowing that breathtaking dress would probably end up on the floor. She didn’t know if making that simple mental leap was a blessing or a curse.

“I would appreciate it if you kept this matter confidential.” Weiss told her. Her own gaze averting as the insurmountable discomfort of the conversation began seeping into her bones. “This is not exactly public knowledge. I would like you to keep it that way.”

“The date? Or….”

“Everything.” Weiss said with a soft breath. “Being otherwise inclined even slightly is something that the media would have a field day over. People in my position are usually quiet about their interests until formal announcements can be made. I am not yet at the point where I’m ready to do such a thing to the public, and if word got out…” Weiss trailed off. She didn’t want to think of it.

It was bad enough that her desires taunted her lonely heart in a way that her bonds with her family couldn’t fill. It was worse that she knew those same desires would lead her to falling into bed tonight with a woman she didn’t even love. She wanted to find meaningful companionship so badly that it hurt. Yet, she would take what little comfort a casual encounter offered, accepting that as the best she would probably ever do.

All of those feelings were made worse by coming to Beacon. Made harder for Yang’s open tendencies, and Ruby’s attempts to befriend Weiss in a way so few people had tried. That she shared a dorm with three attractive women in their own ways, and suffered the nudity of equally attractive women in the locker rooms, only served to inflate her sexual desires.

It made her want to weep. Even if she were to find someone that she might forage such a bond with, it would only end in heartbreak.

“Weiss, I’m not going to say anything.” Yang told her, feeling a twinge of sadness at those pained blue eyes. Too beautiful for their own damn good. “It’s not my business. I wouldn’t out you like that. If you’re just trying to be safe, that’s what matters.”

“Thank you.” It was all Weiss could say in the face of this truly good person. If only Yang had been a blue blood, then maybe this conversation could have gone elsewhere. A shared identity and burden between two people who didn’t have many options. With their shared motivations, maybe it could have been something more. A bond beyond simply eugenics and bloodline.

As it stood, Yang was proving to be the sort of friend that Weiss had never been given the luxury of having before. Someone who didn’t care about status, and spoke honestly no matter the cost to propriety. So genuine, perhaps too much so. Truthfully, she didn’t know what to make of that, or of the way that lilac gaze lingered just a little too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 6/4/2020.
> 
> (As a little added note, there are some creative choices in grammar and word choice that I still may choose to keep in the fiction. This fault is on me, the writer.)


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we go, Curilla's first major showing in a chapter. hope you all like it. Plus, some other stuff... I'm sure you'll find majority of the chapter mostly entertaining, even if bits and piece come off as a bit dry by nature.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXVII**

Weiss made her way down to the airfield only to pause as she noticed that Curilla was standing outside of her personal airship. Her attendant was bowing politely to both Headmaster Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch. It was a sight that Weiss thought to expect only in passing. She never once thought she would bear witness to the murmuring before Curilla nodded to her from across the long path, a direct invitation to join them.

“Weiss, it’s a pleasure to finally see you again. It has been so long.” Curilla greeted upon her approach. Her regard as warm as she could bring herself to be. For most, it would seem cold and calculating at best, but Weiss knew better. It was little more than the stringent training and a life of service to the people.

“It has indeed.” Weiss said, allowing Curilla to kiss her on the back of the hand. A formality among the highest of society or those that still valued the old world teachings long forgotten. “Headmaster Ozpin, Professor Goodwitch, I don’t hope I wasn’t interrupting something important?”

“Not at present.” Ozpin said jovially. “We’re catching up as old friends tend to do.”

“I never realized you were so closely acquainted.” Weiss said to them.

“The same could be said for you, Miss Schnee.” Glynda said. “Curilla, what is the meaning of this.”

“I’m sure you can discern exactly what the meaning of this is, and I would thank you not to think of me as vulgar for enjoying the pleasure of seeing my chosen lady.”

“I see.” Glynda muttered sternly. “Miss Schnee, a word please.”

“Certainly.” Weiss agreed. “I’m sorry Curilla, I’ll only be a moment.”

“As expected.” Curilla told her. “Do as you must, I can wait.”

Weiss followed Glynda over to the nearby pavilion. The two of them stepping behind one of the large stone structures before coming to a stop. Glynda’s concern was paramount across her face, crystal clear and without the usual severity that came along with it. “Excuse me for my following informality Weiss, but I am concerned about what has just come to light. How long have you been seeing Curilla?”

“We began seeing each other this past year.” Weiss said with a small shrug. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors. You have your hand in Vale’s council. There’s no way you couldn’t have known about this.”

“How do you know about that?” Glynda asked sternly.

“I’m a Schnee.” Weiss said with a small shake of her head. “Why wouldn’t I know something like that? I haven’t aired that to anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I appreciate that you choose to be discrete on the matter.”

“As I would hope you’d reciprocate.” Weiss said to her. “You don’t really think Curilla to be of poor character, do you?”

“Does Winter know of this?”

“Of course, my whole family does. My father arranged the meeting himself, but that doesn’t answer my question.” Weiss said then. “Do you know something I don’t, Professor Goodwitch?”

The woman sighed at length. “I had been hoping the rumors were false. It’s not a question of her character, it’s a question of what this could mean for your future.” Glynda said then. “I realize you’re the heiress to your father’s company. That said, Curilla is not the sort of person I would think you’d pursue. She’s far older than you, and lives a very dangerous life.”

“Yes, I know that. If little else, Curilla is a friend. She has never once taken liberties with me, at least not ones that I haven’t personally sought out.”

“You do not have to see this woman.”

“I’m afraid you’re wrong about that.” Weiss told her. “If it is not Curilla, it will be another. My father is intent on finding me a suitable spouse, and he will continue to search for one. It doesn’t matter if I want him to or not. If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not have suitors tossed at me like bags of meat.”

“I do hope you realize your older sister went through something similar before she distanced herself from the household.” Glynda said then, crossing her arms in dismay. “I don’t think I have to tell you that it was one of the many reasons she distanced herself when she did. It might suit you to consider doing the same.”

“I can’t do that. I don’t expect you to understand. Curilla understands my motivations in all of this. While she might have her own, I doubt she’d ever forcefully impose them on me. She isn’t like that.”

“Suit yourself, but should you require assistance in the future, I’d suggest you seek me out. It would not be the first time I had an altercation with your father over such matters, and it certainly won’t be the last.”

* * *

He promised he would tell his team the truth, he owed it to Pyrrha and his team. The only problem was, Jaune had no idea what they’d think of him now as Ren and Nora sat in silence. They shared a glance, a conversation of words unspoken. He waited through the heavy silence, moments passing like a ticking bomb waiting to explode.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Ren said when his voice finally caught up with his brain.

“And you should have told us way before this.” Nora added, her hands on her hips affronted.

“I know.” Jaune said. “It was wrong of me to keep this from you.”

“It was wrong of you to do it in the first place.” Nora said, her hand slapping to her head with a groan. “This makes so much more sense now.”

“What do you mean?” Jaune asked, prompting her to smack her own forehead.

“Jaune, don’t take this the wrong way, but you fight like total crap.” Nora said before she leveled her gaze upon Pyrrha. “You! What’s wrong with you, Pyrrha? You didn’t tell us either.”

“It wasn’t my truth to tell.” Pyrrha replied. “Jaune needed to do it himself.”

“No!” Nora began to rant. “No, no, no, no, a billion times, no! That’s not how things go, Pyrrha. We can’t keep this kind of thing from each other. We’re friends… Well, we are, right?”

“Even after all this?” Jaune asked her.

“Don’t be an idiot.” Ren muttered with a sigh. “What’s done is done. We’re a team, and that’s how it is. It’s almost insulting to think that you’d question that.”

“He’s right.” Nora added, picking up where he left off, pacing the room before laying her head on the wall. She began muttering to herself unhappily. Her fist hit it softly several times before she took a breath and turned on her heel. “If you want to be a huntsman, then be one. You’re here now, aren’t you? Getting in is only the start. Now you need to pass, and you’re not going to do that unless you get better.”

“I don’t think I can, Nora.” Jaune told her. “I don’t have the same training that you guys do.”

“That’s not entirely true, Jaune.” Pyrrha told him. “You don’t have combat training and that is obvious. However, if that was the only skill a huntsman needed to have we’d never be in short supply. Most retire after a few years in the field because they simply don’t have what it takes. If you want to be a huntsman that badly, then you may have a future as one. You can learn the skills it takes to be out in the field. Without the desire to be out there, the training will never be good enough. So many wash out of the academies before they even graduate for that reason alone.”

“So, it’s settled.” Nora shrugged. “We work him hard, train him up, and get him where he needs to be. That simple.”

“And that complicated.” Ren murmured.

“Ren! No negativity out of you. No negativity out of anybody, it all goes away right now. We can do this.”

“I agree.” Pyrrha told them. “It will be difficult, but it is possible.”

“Right, then let’s get started.” Nora said with a smirk. “Come on Jaune! We’re going to the gym…”

“This is going to hurt, isn’t it?” Jaune asked worriedly.

“Probably.” Pyrrha said sympathetically. “The phrase roll with the punches comes to mind.”

“I’m not going to break him. We kind of need him. You know, team leader and all?” Nora said with a roll of her eyes. “Let’s go. Gym. Training. Come on already.”

* * *

The airship was simple but comfortable. Containing all of the amenities that need to be there without sacrificing an ounce of wasted lien for delusional grandeur. Curilla didn’t keep crystal wine glasses like many of the elite. She didn’t seek out the finest artisans to order quality goods. The living area on the ship offered a casual atmosphere as glasses of wine were poured and Curilla went about cooking dinner for the two of them.

Weiss had once found that refreshing. Watching Curilla mill about the small kitchen to cook dinner for them had always been a pleasure. Now that Weiss was used to eating the cafeteria meals provided by Beacon, she wondered if she would feel the same way now. Impressed by what seemed to be such an easy accomplishment, and yet one that Weiss had so little experience with. It also reminded her that she was a complete disaster in the kitchen. Burning apology cookies and proving herself useless as a common homemaker in the process.

“It sounds as though you’ve been having a rather enlightening experience at Beacon.” Curilla said as she stirred the sauce in the pan and turned down the heat. “To be honest, I feared you wouldn’t fare well.”

“Everyone thought that, apparently.” Weiss said as she lifted her wine glass to her lips, sipping on the zinfandel within. “Winter almost had a conniption.”

“I heard.” Curilla said then. “I suffered her blathering on the topic for hours. You are one of three people that can manage to inspire her to lose her wits. She falters to complete idiocy sometimes, I swear.”

“My father is likely one of the people on that list. I’d wonder who the third might be.” Weiss said, smirking at the idea of her elder sibling being anything less than prim and proper.

“Oh, never mind about that.” Curilla said. “Few huntsmen are as boorish as that man, and I care not to think of him myself.”

“Which leads me to believe that Winter is not the only one to have lost her composure…”

“Perceptive as always, and sharp with that tongue of yours. I enjoy that about you. Don’t be discouraged about that for an instant, it’ll serve you well as a huntress.” Curilla turned to her, one silver eye concealed by ruddy bangs as the other gained that gentle intensity that Weiss had grown accustomed to. “I do hope you’ve considered my offer about joining me in the Temple Knights once you’ve graduated.”

“I’ve thought of it.” Weiss said softly, regarding the taller woman in front of her. Olive skin tanned by the sun. “I’ve thought of a lot of things…”

“It would do you well, I think.” Curilla murmured. “Your father would hardly complain about such a refined position. It comes with great respect, hardly a slight to your family’s legacy.”

“That’s a point I find difficult to overlook.” Weiss said with a nod. “It would please him greatly, I believe. Although, to be honest it would have very little to do with the position, and everything to do with what he would gain from it. I’d imagine he’d want access to a few mines within the region.”

“So he would, though he would find that difficult. In truth, if you were to join it would please me greatly, too.” Curilla said. “Very much so. It would do well for a vast many people, Weiss. I’ve given it great consideration. Should we be wedded, it would behoove more than just San d’Oria and the peoples across Mistral. It would benefit all of the kingdoms in ways we probably cannot comprehend.”

“Yes, that’s true too.” Weiss murmured. “However, you know why I’m still reluctant.”

Curilla made a soft sound of agreement as she returned her attention to their cooking meal. Her voice was merely conversational as it drifted through the air. “I realize I’m probably the last person you would ever think to marry. My disfigurement aside, I’ve chosen a disciplined path. I don’t fault you for turning away from the faith. It’s hard to believe in the unseen in this day and age.”

“It’s not that.” Weiss told her. “You know it has nothing to do with religion, or your looks. You’re beautiful, you always have been. That’s so far away from my problems with this. I wonder if you’ve been listening at all.”

“Perhaps it is merely that I’ve become jaded in my expectations for myself.” Curilla said then. “I know you want congress born of love, and I know that you cannot possibly love me in the slightest. I realize that, but I had hoped you might learn to accept me one day in spite of love. I thought that perhaps it might be possible.”

“How could I possibly do that? I know we can do better. The both of us. Why settle for adequate when we can achieve something better for ourselves? For me, love has to be a factor that decides who I marry. I can’t settle for anything less than that.” Weiss told her, firm in her belief that they could each find a spouse more fitting to their needs. “I don’t understand why you don’t feel the same way. You’re too hard on yourself, Curilla. You’re not the hideous monster you proclaim yourself to be, and you have far more to be prideful for than you ever consider. I’m sure that you could find love too, if only you gave yourself a chance.”

“It isn’t that I don’t believe in romantic love, Weiss. We simply don’t see eye to eye on the magnitude of such a thing. I don’t believe such a fickle emotion is made to last the tests of time. You believe it will, and that is where we differ."

“It’s such a night and day difference that it’s concerning.”

“Only for someone who puts such heavy qualifiers on emotions. Although Winter has always said that you were the temperamental one in the family.”

“I know that I’m high maintenance, I just don’t allow it to bother me.” Weiss said with a shrug. “You’ve never complained once.”

“One might say I enjoy the challenge.” Curilla said as the meal finished cooking. “Besides, I tend to avoid being hypocritical, it would be unbecoming.”

“As a blueblood, that’s hilarious.”

“Yet no one laughs.”

“You’d cut out their tongue the moment they tried.”

“Not so, I would merely thrash them publicly for all to see.”

“For a highbrow noble who has never once stepped outside of the kingdoms it would be the same thing.”

“Quite, although obviously less bloody.”

“Now you’re merely arguing semantics.”

“As all socialites do.” Curilla agreed humorously. “You included, that’s the nature of the beast I’m afraid. There’s a reason I’d rather drink stale mead with the recruits instead of the finest wine with your father’s ilk.”

“I’m starting to discover that myself, actually.” Weiss said with a nod. “You might call my teammates in Beacon Academy a breath of fresh air.”

Curilla agreed as she plated the dishes. Then the two of them moved to the small circular table. They glossed over idle conversation about economic advancement and Curilla’s many travels across the kingdoms. Weiss listened fondly about the daily activities within the Temple Knights and the training of the new recruits. The Temple Knights were a small order. They were a select few that followed the order of the religious practices from times long forgotten.

It was a prestigious place to be considering that Mistral was often thought of as the most technologically stagnant among the kingdoms. Most cities within the kingdom enjoyed a life well away from the advancements found within the heart of the kingdom and the city of Argus. Curilla hailed from one such city nestled within the kingdom known as San d’Oria. Although their main exports were dust and precious metals, traditional methods were passed down to the generations.

They were prideful people, one of the oldest cities on Remnant, one of a small handful to survive the Great War mostly unscathed. They had some of the finest blade smiths in the world, choosing to fight with the teachings of the scriptures firmly in hand. When the rest of Mistral began to ignore the biblical teachings of history, San d’Oria refused to follow suit. Now they stood as a historical cornerstone to Mistral’s rich history.

It was one of the reasons Weiss respected Curilla so greatly. Despite her status, she remained far more humble than most.

There was one thing that Curilla didn’t mention in passing. Weiss was compelled to wonder, until she could bear the question no further. “You never did tell me the nature of your visit.” Weiss told her in-between her second glass of wine and the slice of the pound cake that she enjoyed for dessert. “I find it odd that you would leave the new recruits now, at such a formative time in their training.”

“I must speak at length with your headmaster about globally crucial circumstances.” Curilla replied with only a small tilt of her head. “They’re confidential, I’m sure you understand.”

“Confidential this, classified that, between you and Winter politics seem like little more than cloak and dagger back door deals.”

“That wouldn’t be as far from the truth as you’d think.” Curilla agreed. “However, I would have come to see you regardless. The timing was simply fortuitous, and I saw no reason to deny myself an opportunity for a meeting like this. Did you find that undesirable?”

“Only under the circumstances as they are. It isn’t seeing you that displeases me.” Weiss told her. “It’s that I wonder if you’re right about everything. If I’m just pulling myself away from all of this because I’m in denial. I don’t want to believe that this is the best I can do for myself. The fact that you’re completely fine with the way we are unsettles me a bit. Commitment is one thing, but I’d never want to be an obligation you clung to.”

“I would do my best to please you, Weiss.” Curilla spoke softly. “I hope you know that. It wouldn’t be out of obligation. Although, I suppose I can see how you might perceive my intentions that way.”

“When you say things like that, you complicate matters.” Weiss said with a roll of her eyes. “It makes me think you might actually feel something besides fondness for me.”

“That is the impression you wanted.” Curilla said dryly, leaning in to push some of that long cascading hair behind an alabaster ear. “Was it not?”

“I want it to be real, you fool.” Weiss said with a laugh. “You may be able to wine and dine me, but we both know how this is going to end. We’re playing a game where there are no winners in this.”

“Yet, you play along with it anyway.” Curilla noted. “Why?”

“You are genuine, and neither one of us has any reason to be deceitful in the privacy of our own company. That’s reason enough to play along.” Weiss told her, honesty was the foundation that made everything between them as convoluted as it was comforting. “We’re both lonely, that’s a fact. So long as we both understand where the line is, I’ll enjoy the game for what it is. In the end, that’s all this could ever be, but you already know that.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Curilla said. “I wouldn’t be interested in you at all if you didn’t have such a strong sense of conviction. I’m honest when I say it would please me if you joined the Temple Knights. It has little to do with romance, but I’m fond of having you by my side.”

“I know that, which is why joining the order for a short tenure is still a consideration, even when marriage certainly isn’t.” Weiss told her. “That said, this part of the game only works when someone is naive enough to believe there is something deeper than just friendship and sex between us. The anticipation has gone on for far too long.”

“You’ll forgive me for attempting the pursuit at least, won’t you?” Curilla asked her. “I wouldn’t want to be thought of as a scoundrel.”

“Scoundrel? That’s hardly possible. At this point I’m starting to think you’re a prude.” Weiss told her. “You don’t have to be so careful with my emotions, Curilla. They’re not your burden to bear. Take me to your bed so that we can enjoy the rest of our night properly.”

* * *

Blake had been hoping for a peaceful afternoon. A few chapters of reading to relax her after a day of studies. Sadly, her intentions didn’t go as she planned as Yang saw fit to disrupt the long sought after quiet time.

“But, you’ve been reading for over an hour, Blake.”

“I don’t see the issue with that.”

“If we don’t work ourselves up for the festival, we’ll be all squishy and easy to beat.”

“I don’t see how training with Ren and Nora solves that.” Blake said, turning the page in her book, wincing when Yang began to poke at her arm. “Why are you doing that?”

“Because I want you to come training with me.”

“No, go away.”

“Blakeeey, pleeeease.”

“Stop that, or I’ll remove your finger.” Blake bit out.

“No you won’t.” Yang told her.

“Yes, I will.” Blake shot back. “And stop with that nickname, it’s becoming a habit.”

“Aw, I bet you actually like it.”

“Care to test the theory?”

The blonde collapsed onto the bed, pouting. “Just one match.” Yang said, rolling over to look at Blake with wide lilac eyes.

It was never just one match. Yang liked combat, plain and simple. Yet that alone wasn’t the current issue. “Do even know what personal space is, Yang?”

“Yeah, why?”

Yang was too close for comfort, and the woman’s natural scent was radiating off of her in ways the blonde would never understand. Any Faunus with half a brain knew that affectionate smell. It was one of pleased greeting, usually reciprocated by bonded pairs, families, and close friends. Humans released scent and pheromones unknowingly. Only the most pungent odors or ones they doused themselves with by choice noticeable to them.

Yet, here Yang was, practically rubbing that smell all over her. Now, any Faunus she passed in the halls could easily get the wrong idea. This woman would be the death of her. How could somebody be so kind and so infuriating at the same time?

“You’re in mine!” Blake nearly barked at her. “Get off of me. What’s even with you lately? You’ve been attaching yourself to me every single time I sit down.”

“It was only two times.” Yang said, hardly perturbed.

“Enough times.” Blake shot back, annoyed. It was like the girl laying all over her knew she could get away with this kind of insanity. If she were a Faunus, she would have known that inherently, but the fact she wasn’t and still somehow understood that anyway was bothersome. Blake had to wonder if she was somehow communicating her approval. “Get off, now…”

“Say yes to training and I’ll move.” Yang sing-songed.

“Fine.” Blake muttered unhappily as she put her book away. “Get your gear and we can go.”

“Awesome!” Yang said, popping up like a spring off of Blake’s torso.

It was as they were preparing for the sparring match that Ruby finally returned to the room. “Hey guys.” Ruby said with a stack of books in hand and a half eaten candy bar from the vending machines in the other. “Uh, why are you gearing up for a fight?”

“We’re going to do some doubles training with Ren and Nora. Yang insisted on it.” Blake said, checking over her weapons one final time. “We could probably convince Pyrrha to join if you wanted in on the action.”

As appealing as that was, Ruby knew she had to decline. “I want to, but Weiss will kill me if I don’t finish my homework.”

“She’s out doing rich people stuff, so she won’t notice.” Yang said. “What do you have to do, anyway?”

“I’ve got an extra class now.” Ruby said, holding up a Signal Academy textbook. “Professor Goodwitch took over my tutoring, so she’s switching me out of some of my academic classes. She thinks a few are too advanced for me right now since I didn’t learn the stuff before it.”

“And you were chill with that?” Yang asked, nearly dropping one of her gauntlets before sliding it into place.

“She said it would only be for a little while. Just to teach me what I missed since I skipped ahead.” Ruby shrugged. “Besides that other math was really hard, and I didn’t understand any of it. I’m no good at economics since I missed the intro class.”

“Alright, well if you need help, let me know. I did that stuff last year.” Yang said with a mild shrug.

“You barely passed it, Yang…”

“I didn’t do the homework.” Yang shot back. “I totally know it, otherwise I’d be nearly flunking it here too.”

“Yang, you are the last person helping Ruby with her math homework.” Blake shot back. “I’ve seen your grades. You’re lucky Weiss hasn’t murdered you yet. Even Jaune’s better than you at math.”

“Actually, his grades are better than hers in almost all of the core academics.” Ruby muttered dryly. “I wonder why he’s so good at them…”

“He probably chose to study in core academics as a back-up. Unlike this one.” Blake said, smacking Yang gently on the shoulder.

Yang rolled her eyes, pretending to be offended. “Alright, fine, piss all over the offer. It was just a thought.”

“A bad one.” Ruby and Blake said at the same time, both voices echoing the sentiment.

“We’re headed out. Call if you need us.” Blake said, practically pushing Yang out the door. “Move it, Trouble, before you butcher her math grade just like you’ve butchered yours.”

“Oh, so my name’s Trouble now, huh?”

“Ruby, I may or may not murder you sister.” Blake called back before slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Weiss returned to Beacon late that night, but she couldn’t bear to enter the dorm room. After chasing chemicals and sharing wine in the confines of a secluded airship, her conclusion was the same as before. Attractiveness itself was not enough. Orgasms were wonderful things, moments of bliss she rarely afforded herself. If only it didn’t feel so empty, she may have sought something more with Curilla.

In many ways, Weiss wondered what a future with her might be like. Curilla was careful, composed. She was a woman in her prime in all of the ways she could be. Weiss wondered how she could find herself disregarding that so easily.

How could it be that seeing Ruby at the table with a spoonful of ice cream headed for her mouth was more enticing a scene? How could this girl, effectively a child in such matters, be a more welcome sight?

It could simply be because Ruby had truly sought friendship. Even when she made several colossal failures during her early attempts, she had always been genuine in her desire for something so simple. Weiss found it laughable in the grand scheme. It was unheard of. Even crazy. Yet, Ruby was that sort of person by nature. She didn’t fit a simple, definable, mold.

Weiss could admit that intellectually Ruby stimulated part of consciousness in a rather profound way. The girl was an enigma that begged to be solved, happily breaking the foundations of normality as Weiss understood them. She could only hope that was the reason she was compelled to join the girl now. She earned a smile and a greeting for simply entering the room. It had nothing to do with status, and everything to do with their bond as teammates. That’s what made that happy grin all the more flattering in the first place.

“Hey, I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

“I didn’t either.” Weiss admitted, it was late but hardly unreasonable.

“Yang said you had somewhere to be. She didn’t say where that was though.” Ruby said with a small nod. “She went with Blake to the training room to practice for the Vytal Festival. I think they were sparring against Ren and Nora.”

“You didn’t go with them?” Weiss asked.

“Nope. I had to finish my math homework and get started on my dust project.” Ruby told her. “I was on my own most of the night. I tried to go looking for Jaune to see if he wanted to hang around, but I couldn’t find him. I couldn’t find Pyrrha either, so I just watched some television. Did you have a good time?”

“It was enjoyable for what it was. Let’s just say I found my evening to be rather eventful.” Weiss said, leaving it at that. She could still taste the wine on her lips. She could hear the ghosting whispers and fleeting promises that were sealed several times over in a way that only physical satiation could provide. “It would be of no interest to you, I’m sure.”

“Why?” Ruby asked curiously. “Was it rich people stuff or something?”

At this, Weiss found a small laugh bubbling up from her throat. “You could call it that, I suppose.” Sadly, for all of her humor, she felt a small pang of bitterness beneath it. Ruby had unknowingly hit the nail on the head in more ways than one. “There are just some events that I’m expected to attend.”

“We’ll, it’s done now, right?” Ruby said, pushing the small carton of cookies and cream ice cream towards Weiss as she took a seat. “Want some? It’s really good.”

“No, absolutely not.” Weiss told her, crinkling her nose slightly at the mere idea of eating something like that. “You may have all of it.”

The sickly sweet substance of chunky ice cream would never appeal to her. The gesture alone was enough of a treat to sweeten the evening. Once again, Ruby chose to crash against the houses of glass that the social elite built. She probably had no idea she had even done it, either. With that spoon sticking out of her mouth, Ruby could do what so many others simply couldn’t. No manners, no grace, just Ruby’s love of sweets and her inclination to share.

“Bad night?” Ruby wondered then.

“No, just a long night.” If it were anyone else, Weiss would have taken the surface level question as a platitude. Ruby didn’t have any concept of those either. She was so at ease with the way she waved that spoon back into her ice cream. It could hardly be anything more than a passing question. “A very long night…”

“Oh… Sorry for that, then.” Ruby told her, poking her spoon against the melting mound in her bowl. “You look really nice...”

“So I’ve been told.” Weiss said, allowing the hollowness of such a statement to get the better of her.

She had to be fairly pretty, she knew that logically. However, she certainly didn’t feel pretty after what she had done. If she closed her eyes and thought hard enough, she could still feel sizable breasts pushing against her back, and the lurid whispers against the shell of her ear. The memory was plain as day, the feel of perfectly manicured nails drifting across her skin, and a talented tongue sliding against places that were completely undignified.

Then again, intercourse was a primal, undignified thing. A sweaty, slick, vulgar thing that left a breathless mess behind in its wake.

“Weiss?”

“You’re not to blame for my foul mood, Ruby,” she said, tossing the entire matter away with the same profound level of disgust that she always did. There was no meaning to it, not in her experience. Lovemaking was supposed to be beautiful, but there was no beauty in showering off the evidence and pretending it didn’t happen for the sake of her own sanity. “If anything, sitting with you while you gobble down that midnight snack of yours has been one of the few highlights of my day.”

“Well, that’s good then. I wouldn’t want to be the one to mess everything up,” the girl only shifted in her seat, fidgeting awkwardly with the spoon and the last of the ice cream in her bowl.

“If you could choose to eat a little more neatly though, I’d be thankful.” Weiss murmured then, taking the nearby napkin to clear away the chocolate that had migrated to the edge of Ruby’s lips. “You’re a complete slob with anything involving sugar.”

“I didn’t notice.” Ruby allowed Weiss to dab at her lips with the crumpled napkin, not minding the gentle touch and the serious blue eyes that accompanied it.

“I know.” Weiss said as she set the napkin aside.

“I won’t ask, but if you want to talk…”

“I don’t wish to, at least not about my evening anyway.” Weiss said, feeling both incomplete and incapable of articulating the complexities of high society and their social norms. She was a deviant, plain and simple. Ruby would never understand that, it wasn’t something she was inherently capable of. If anything, Ruby should be credited for becoming a welcome distraction during what would have otherwise been a loathsome and sleepless night. “I’d rather hear about yours if it’s all the same to you...”

She couldn’t thank the girl outwardly, but privately she couldn’t help but do just that as Ruby began chatting about random assignments. It was odd how such a small thing could be such a luxury.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 6/13/2020.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, just so you know, I've got my niece and nephew coming up for part of the summer. That may make updates slower during that time. I don't know how long they will be up for. It's usually about a month, sometimes a little longer, sometimes a bit shorter, so we will see.
> 
> In the meantime, do enjoy this chapter. Hopefully I'll be able to get another one out next week sometime.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXVIII**

As the sun lifted into the sky, a new day at Beacon Academy began. With a full list of events and planning beginning for Vytal Festival. Second year students had their hands full with welcome committee planning and arranging campus parties for the visiting students. As the groggy eyed students of Beacon Academy began to start their day, there was one team that refused to stir.

Coco groaned unhappily as the small bed shifted in the early morning hour. She could feel Velvet attempt to sneak away. Somewhere in the back of her mind that thought was wholly unpleasant. Team CFVY had been tasked to oversee the preparations for the yearly formal ball. Staying up late into the night to work on the planning, they’d cobbled together a plan between rounds of beers and pizza. Now she just wanted to be lazy and worry about everything else later.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Coco grumbled as she wrapped her arm around the rabbit Faunus to keep her there.

“We need to get ready for class.” Velvet sighed affectionately, her long ears bobbing forward as she rubbed her eyes. As comfortable as her current position was, she knew staying in bed would mean more work later.

“Ten more winks, babe.” Coco replied, cozying up to the Faunus and thinking the matter done.

Velvet yawned and stretched, jostling her lover and team leader. “We don’t have time for that, you smashed the clock an hour ago. We’ve already overslept.”

“Damn thing woke me up.”

“As it should. That’s the point of an alarm clock.”

“Nah.”

“Coco Adel, get out of bed…”

“Not now…” Coco muttered. “Maybe later. If I give a damn.”

“Yatsuhashi, a little help please?” Velvet asked, looking over to the man that was hunched over with his elbows on his knees. A sleepy yawn issuing from his mouth that he didn’t even bother to stifle.

Smacking his lips together, he finally managed to look up from his dazed position, regarding Velvet as his mind slowly began to form coherent thoughts. “Hmm?”

“The queen of laziness insists on sleeping in again…” Velvet told him, once again, pitying the fact that he looked very hungover.

“Ah…” Yatsuhashi muttered, idly scratching his side absentmindedly. “We had a late night last night.”

The excuse was something that struck a chord with Velvet. Stacks of homework littered her desk, the only clean one in the room that hadn’t been left filthy by weapon components and crumpled mission gear. Coco’s desk, usually covered in fabric and sewing supplies, had been cleared away for party planning and welcome committee packets. Gift bags waited to be filled with complimentary snacks and vouchers for attending stalls at the festival. The kingdom of Vale hoped to prove to be a gracious host to the arriving tournament attendees and any families that might accompany them. The first small handful of traders had already begun to fill spaces on the fairgrounds. Preparing their stalls and polishing up their equipment, they would be buying and selling rare goods at fractions of their usual prices.

To Velvet, it was a staggering affair. It was made worse by missions flowing in from outside of the kingdom’s walls. Just because the festival preparation was just beginning, ignoring their classes now would mean a massive blow to their grades.

After a moment to consider all of that, her conclusion was the same. “We can’t afford to miss Oobleck’s class.”

“Tell that to Coco.” Yatsuhashi said, although he still hadn’t moved. He might as well have been naked for all that his boxers hid his morning arousal, a common sight that Velvet had long grown used to with having men in the room. He was never obnoxious about the fact, and Coco often refused to help matters with the way she slept topless. Her breasts on display more often than not right before bed. She strutted around the room in little more than a pair of panties once she woke up.

“I was thinking something a little more forceful.” Velvet said, when poking at Coco again only earned her an annoyed grunt and muttering about the early hour. “Coco…”

“I have my own problems at the moment.” Yatsuhashi said, yawning into his hand before prying his very hungover teammate off of him. Fox had never found his way to his own bed after a night of drinking. He had even taken one of his empty beer cans to bed with him for reasons that Yatsuhashi didn’t care to figure out. “I knew he drank too much.”

“We all drank too much.” Coco said, burying her face in Velvet’s shoulders. “Shit, just let me sleep, will you?”

“I didn’t drink enough to count.” Velvet replied with a sigh.

“Tell that to my hickeys.” Coco said sleepily. “Get your ass back in bed, Yatsu. We’re skipping out on first hour.”

“Coco, we are not doing that.” Velvet complained. “We have things to do.”

“Hush now, sexy.” Coco soothed, pressing a kiss to that expanse of skin that was soft to the touch. “Leader’s trying to sleep.”

Yatsuhashi blinked, looking over at Coco and her refusal to move from the warm bed. He then eyed his own abandoned pillow and the decision came easily to him. Pushing Fox out of his way he laid back down.

The rabbit Faunus knew she was losing the war when that happened. “Oh, not you too.”

“Well, it is an order,” he said, turning over on his side and yanking the blanket over him. “Might as well just do it.”

Drastic times called for drastic measures. As Velvet found herself sitting in an otherwise silent room, she found herself reaching for that rare but effective method to get her entire team up and moving. A single pouch zipped up and kept in Coco’s bedside drawer would be enough to do the trick. “That’s it, I’m flushing the pot…”

“I’m up!” Coco shot back, nearly flinging herself out of bed. “I’m up, Christ just don’t do that to my stash…”

* * *

Team JNPR were also in exhausted states, no one more so than Pyrrha after a long night of tutoring Jaune up on the roof. It only took one training session with Nora to prove that she wasn’t capable of teaching Jaune combat without nearly throttling him in the process. Her attacks were simply too much for him, even while holding back. The tiny powerhouse was a juggernaut that even the most robust aura failed to handle when put under stress. With his lack of control, he didn’t stand a chance. Ren would take over his aura training. Meanwhile Pyrrha saw to his combat prowess. Nora would be tasked with his huntsman related studies, leaving the dust theory to Pyrrha.

With a plan in place, and each member working Jaune to the bone, he would either catch up or drop out. It would be up to him to absorb the knowledge that each member could impart.

By the time Nora dragged her to the bathrooms at the end of the hall, the usual early risers were milling about. However, it was already a little more crowded than Pyrrha came to expect from her own morning routine. A few girls from the other teams were murmuring amongst themselves in the locker area. Somebody in the showers had the weather forecast playing. The oddity was that all four team RWBY members were there as a group.

Weiss was still in the shower, humming a tune that gently echoed off the walls. Blake occupied a mirror to fix up her uniform. Yang was nearby trying to untangle her messy head of damp hair, her towel forgone completely as she stood there naked arguing with the brush in her hand. Ruby seemed to be the least functional of the group as she was hunched over on a nearby bench, clad in a towel as she yawned tiredly.

“Hey guys,” she said with a tiny wave, hiking her towel up more firmly around her torso. “You’d better hurry or you’ll miss breakfast.”

“Is that why it seems so busy in here today?” Pyrrha asked.

“All-you-can eat breakfast to mark the official start of Vytal training.” Ruby told her. “Anyone with morning training room sign-ups get to cut in line and get first dibs. It’s going to be a full spread, you won’t want to miss it. We’ve got an evening sign-up, so we want to beat the rush if we can. I think your team does too, so you’re not going to be able to cut.”

The youngest among them grabbed her clothes and headed for one of the optional changing rooms in the back of the locker area, closing the door behind her.

“That’s happening today?!” Nora asked as she nearly bounced over to her small half-locker. The only size that was provided in the shower areas. “Hurry up, Pyrrha! We got to get there before everyone eats all the pancakes.”

“I doubt that’s possible.” Pyrrha murmured with a laugh. “Most people will be after the waffles.”

“And the bacon.” Yang added over the sound of the hair dryer. “Never want to forget the bacon.”

“Nope, that would be a sin against nature.” Nora agreed, shucking off her clothes faster than she needed to, hopping around on one foot to drag the lonely sock off her otherwise nude form. “You can never forget bacon.”

“I could certainly do without it.” Pyrrha replied under her breath, picking up the forgotten articles of clothing that Nora abandoned in front of her locker. Pyrrha placed them inside before bending down to unlock her own, which was the one directly beneath Nora’s. She undressed much more slowly, seeing no need to rush.

“Are we having an eating competition?” Nora asked excitedly over the other muted ruckus in the bathroom. “We still have a tie to break.”

“You’re on.” Yang agreed.

“Why does it always need to be a competition with the two of you?” Weiss complained as her shower turned off. “Why can’t you just eat like normal people?”

“That’s no fun.” Nora told her, slamming her own shower door as Weiss came out in a terrycloth bathrobe tied tightly around her body and her long hair up in a towel. “It’s all about the competition. I mean everything we do is one somehow.”

Pyrrha could only roll her eyes mildly in amusement as she began to disrobe. She would leave breakfast related insanity to Yang and Nora. Even so, she had to admit Nora had a point.

* * *

It was someplace between Nora’s fifth plate of food and Yang’s defeat that Ruby poked at her own meal thoughtfully. Her omelet reminded her of a mountain during sunrise, broccoli pieces dotting the yellowed landscape. They seemed like tiny trees. “I really want to go camping. It’s been a while.”

“Why would you want to go camping?” Weiss asked, looking up from her studies. A single plate of breakfast had been more than enough for her, and she had resorted to nibbling idly on a fruit cup while she carefully looked over her notes. “The woods are filthy.”

“They’re also tranquil.” Blake added.

“Only when Grimm aren’t loitering around.” Weiss shot back.

“Grimm don’t normally go near campsites unless they’re little and stupid.” Yang told her. “It’s a good way to get found by a huntsman. You’re more likely to come across an actual wild animal than a Grimm.”

“The point still stands.”

“That’s just it, Weiss. That’s totally the point.” Ruby told her, still poking at her eggs that had long gone cold. “You’ve never been camping before, not real camping. I was just thinking it might be a good idea for us to do that before we go on missions. At least then you’d know what to expect a little.”

“That truly isn’t required,” she said, crinkling her nose in displeasure.

“What if we’re outside and you get separated?” Ruby asked, with one elbow on the table and her meal forgotten. “Are you actually going to build a good shelter and find the right foods?”

Those sparkling silver eyes bore into her, and Weiss could only return the intensity of that gaze with one of her own. “Thanks to your training, I think I am proficient enough to survive a night or two on my own. You can rest assured that I’ve taken everything you’ve taught me to heart.”

“You’re laying it on a bit thick there, aren’t you?” Blake said with a laugh. “Don’t buy into the praise. She’s just trying to wiggle out of sleeping in the woods.”

“Don’t listen to her Ruby.” Weiss said while offering a sideways kick to Blake from under the table. “She’s merely trying to cause trouble.”

“It’s not trouble if it proves a point.” Blake shot back.

“Don’t provoke me, Belladonna.” Weiss said to Blake with a dark scowl. “I am perfectly capable of surviving a camping trip without incident.”

“So, let’s put that to the test…” Ruby shrugged, looking at her partner and her teammate. Even when they tried to get along, a string of tension remained. “We could get permission to go camping, go out into the Emerald Forest for the weekend and prove it.”

“I’m not so sure that it’s a very good idea.” Weiss said, loathing the very idea of lingering in the woods simply for the sake of it. With no mission to hone her skills or class assignment to complete, there was no reason to be out there at all in her mind. “Somehow, I feel like that could end badly.”

“And that’s training too.” Yang said before swigging down her glass of juice. “If things go south, it’s a good way to see what we’re made of.”

“There are likely other, far more effective ways to prove something like this.” Weiss muttered.

“Actually, it sounds like a grand idea to me.” Pyrrha said as she placed a bit of bread to her lips. “If you have never been camping before, I’m sure it would be quite enlightening.”

“I wanna go camping!” Nora said, swallowing down the food in her mouth as the idea took hold of her attention. “If you get the permission, I wanna go too. We can go with them, right, Ren?”

“If you did, we could make a group out of it.” Yang said, smirking at the thought. “Sounds like fun to me.”

“That would be up to Jaune, I’d imagine.” Ren replied simply. “As well as the professor in charge.”

“Can we go, Jaune?” Nora asked him. “I’ll be good, I promise.”

“Right, camping, sounds fun,” he said with a yawn. “I don’t mind going. We’d need to ask someone, though. They’ll probably tell us that we can’t go.”

“If the idea was pitched in just the right way, I doubt we would be denied.” Pyrrha told him. “Technically, we could make the request under a team building exercise.”

“Oh god…” Weiss said, placing her head down upon her book. “Now look what we’ve started.”

“Jaune are you okay?” Ruby asked him. “You’re kind of dead to the world.”

“I’m just tired.”

“He was up at his desk all night long.” Pyrrha said, her voice edging on disapproval. Her own plate cleared and set neatly to the side. “I don’t think he slept at all.”

“I didn’t, but I was catching up on my classes.” He told his partner. “I’ll catch a nap later.”

“Great, then he can rest on the camping trip.” Nora said then. “Can’t stay up all night studying if you don’t have any books.”

“You need your rest, Jaune. Honestly, I didn’t think you’d have the energy to stay awake after all of the work we put in.” Pyrrha told him with a small sigh. “Nora’s right though, the fresh air and wilderness would be good for you I think. A little change of pace never hurt anyone.”

“I’ll ask Professor Goodwitch today when I go see her for some tutoring.” Ruby said then. “Hopefully she’ll say yes.”

“I truly do not believe this is a good idea.” Weiss told Ruby. “I would ask that you reconsider this crazy notion of yours before Nora finds another Ursa to ride and we find another set of trees to catch on fire.”

“You’re outvoted, Weiss.” Blake told her. “You’re going. I hope you have something to wear that isn’t white.”

* * *

After a day of class Team RWBY headed to the training room that Ruby had reserved. Team JNPR took the room across the hall. Dressed in their combat gear and the barrier in place to protect the walls, they began their workout in earnest. Gun turrets taking aim at them with specialized bullets for non-lethal combat. They had to avoid them as best as they could, while still participating in a four-way brawl. Peppered with bruises that would heal with time, Weiss seemed more distracted than normal. An alarm sounded as her aura depleted lower than fifty percent, she was benched from the rest of the weaponry practice long before the others were done.

She sat on one of the small chairs as the others were letting bullets fly, Ruby easily outmaneuvering most of them while Yang simply absorbed the impacts like a one woman tank in order to close in on a good shot. It was only after Ruby was knocked into the ground with a well-aimed punch that she called it quits as well. Sweaty bangs soaked her forehead as she grabbed a nearby towel and took a seat beside Weiss in a nearby metal chair.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Weiss asked, her tone firm as her eyes didn’t leave her scroll.

“You’re distracted.” Ruby told her, the shrug was so small that it was hardly there at all. Easily unnoticeable to the woman beside her. “Your head wasn’t in it today, I could tell. We’re switching to unarmed combat after this. Are you going to be able to keep up?”

“Of course I will.” Weiss told her. “It’s nothing to worry about, Ruby…”

Weiss knew the girl didn’t believe it, she couldn’t blame her for being suspicious, either. Her mind was filled with nonsense, and she only had herself to blame for all of it. It was surprisingly easy to lay with Curilla without a second thought at the time. The days after were always the most difficult. Faced with the cold realities of life as she knew it, she couldn’t help but reconsider her path in life at least once.

It was easy to see a future laid out for her, one made simple by capitulation. She had her options, and she couldn’t help but think about them.

There was the textbook future, she supposed. Find a spouse, get married, and continue in the media spotlight until it was time for her to take the company. Then again, that wasn’t the only road open to her. She could marry Curilla, leave to see the world and continue her training under the Temple Knights. If she did that, she would end up leading a life not entirely unlike her older sister’s own. It wasn’t in her plans, but then again, so many plans were only dreams in the first place.

Idealistic at best, unattainable at worst.

“It doesn’t seem like nothing.” Ruby said after a short while and some thought. “It seems like a big something.”

“I assure you that it isn’t.”

Inwardly, Weiss couldn’t deny that the thing that bothered her most wasn’t such a small matter. Here she was, a Beacon Academy student with an opportunity afforded to her that was entirely her own to control. Yet, for her the choice was so small in the grand scheme that it might as well have been worthless.

Her fame and fortune would have carried her to the goal of being a huntress by mere desire alone. Physical affection was a luxury that Weiss only enjoyed sparingly, but it only made her crave more. That was something she wouldn’t be afforded unless she began to settle down. It made her want something that had so far proven completely impossible.

She tucked her hand into her palm, contemplating a carefully crafted response to Curilla about another date night. Her thumbs didn’t have a chance to grace her screen as the buzzer rang, indicating the end of the first training round.

“And that’s the match.” Ruby said, chuckling a little, drawing the blue eyed gaze ahead of them. Blake had Yang tangled up in one of her black ribbons. “Nice one, Blake!”

“She’s like a damn ninja…” Yang grumbled, face down on the floor, struggling in her restraints.

“Stay still, you’re only making it worse.” Blake said, trying to keep Yang from getting into even more of a mess.

“You caught my hair in it!”

“That’s why I said stay still!”

Weiss could only sigh as she pocketed her scroll. “We should probably go help.”

“She’s fine.” Ruby said as she stood up to cross the room. “I’m going to get up the next round while Blake gets her untied.”

“Easier said than done with that mess.” Weiss replied, already on her way to help Blake and Yang.

* * *

The White Fang made headline news again as they brought havoc for the lower district of downtown Vale. Weiss didn’t want to think of the profits lost by the dust heists that began to ramp up across the downtown district. Her father was likely agitated by the state of affairs, and a phone call to the house confirmed her suspicions. His rage was tangible as they discussed the losses taken by the company. She wanted to tell him she would do more than look into the matter, but there was little she could do while being a citizen of Atlas.

“I could speak with the professor.” Weiss suggested when her attempts to placate him failed again.

“For what little good it would do you, I don’t see the point.” Her father grumbled. “Vale’s council doesn’t take action, they never do.”

“I realize that, but I’m sure there is a White Fang task force monitoring the situation.”

“Weiss, you give far too much credit to Vale as a kingdom. You need to realize they’re incapable by nature.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Weiss told him. “Glynda Goodwitch sits in an advisory position.”

“For Grimm, Weiss.” Jacques shot back hotly. “She’s useless for any of our problems.”

“Her position necessitates that she consider other matters too.”

“As though she’d listen!” He raged, fist slamming hard onto the table. “Don’t you understand? Vale doesn’t give a damn about what we need them to do. They only care for what appeals to the public. Meanwhile, those damned animals are making a mockery of our good name!”

“That’s why I feel that I should speak to her…”

“You’ll do no such thing.”

“Father-”

“I don’t want you near those creatures. I’ll handle matters from here. You focus on your studies. Do not trifle in this, Weiss, it’s beneath you.”

“I’m the heiress, Father. Don’t you think I have a right to be just as angry as you are?”

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Angry…” He bit out, shaking his head. “Yes, I suppose that’s the word for it. Be angry, certainly. However, I expect that you won’t act on it. It’s my responsibility to do so, and I will. Rest assured on that.”

She wanted to believe that, but as she hung up the call she couldn’t help but fixate on the White Fang. Their continued attacks upon her family and the company continued to agitate her. There were so few she could turn to. Only a small handful would truly understand. Her mother’s scroll went directly to voicemail, and Winter’s was the same. Weiss felt her scroll buzz a moment later, her sister replying with a quick message to apologize for failing to answer the call. She was busy, and promised to call the moment she had time.

Across the airfield, Curilla’s ship was still docked, and Weiss found herself knocking on the door in hopes the woman would be in. The door was opened by her attendant, revealing the comfortable sitting area, where Curilla relaxed in a nearby arm chair. She had a glass of wine in hand, seemingly entertaining a guest.

“Is this a bad time?” Weiss asked.

“Of course not.” Curilla said, standing and offering a bow in greeting, kissing the back of her hand as was the custom. “Glynda and I were just speaking of the upcoming festivities. It seems that my business here in Vale won’t conclude for quite some time, so I’ve decided to stay and enjoy the festival as well. As always, Beacon Academy has offered me a more permanent docking location as a result. We were simply discussing that.”

“Among other things.” Glynda replied, lacking her usual skirt and blouse in favor of a much more formal business attire. “Miss Schnee, I would like to remind you that dalliances of this nature are not often becoming of a Beacon student.”

“I would like to remind you that my relationship with your student is none of your concern.” Curilla shot back, turning her stern gaze back to Weiss, curiosity lingering at her features. “You seem troubled.”

“To be frank, I am.” Weiss replied. “The White Fang are once again making trouble for my family, but I’m sure you already know of that.”

“Your father’s in a foul mood again.” Curilla surmised, leading Weiss to the nearby sofa and partaking the open wine at the center of the table. She offered the bottle to the young woman in front of her. “A good year from the prince’s finest collection, I assure you. Would you like a glass?”

“A small one please, I have studying this evening.”

“Good to see you haven’t faltered on that at least.” Glynda chided. “You are not of the legal age in Vale.”

“Atlesian born and raised, it is customary to have alcohol at business as well as pleasure. We’re kindred to Mistral in that way.” Weiss told her. “I can hold a small glass of wine.”

“And more.” Curilla added as she followed the instruction to only offer a small amount in the glass. “The White Fang is why you’ve come here. As it so happens, the White Fang topic was a matter that we were discussing before your arrival. They’ve been growing bold across the kingdoms, although mostly here in Vale.”

“Does that mean the council will act?” Weiss asked.

“No, not at this time.” Glynda replied. “We have other concerns that require our attention.”

“She’s right.” Curilla added as she passed over the red wine. “The White Fang are not among our concerns at this time,” she said as she took a seat beside Weiss. Laying her hand gently over the exposed knee, and running her thumb in small circles. “Weiss, you will learn this eventually as a huntress, but the losses the Schnee Dust Company take are minimal compared to the losses taken elsewhere. It isn’t just financially, either. Jacques sees things in one dimension, profits are the primary concern he has. That is no concern of the council.”

Weiss took a long sip of the wine, letting the flavor settle on her tongue before swallowing hard. “What is the concern, then? If not for the attacks, what could you possibly concern yourselves with? They’re violent criminals, all of them.”

“Think, Miss Schnee.” Glynda told her. “Prove yourself to be more tactful than your father. What other thing should we be concerned with?”

“She asked you, did she not?” Curilla shot back. “This is not an educational experience.”

Glynda scowled, her lips thinning into a tight line. “She’s a student, council matters are not in her wheelhouse.”

“A high profile student, one with privileged information.” Curilla replied curtly. “Let’s not forget that. If you refuse to explain the matter, I will.”

Gritting her teeth and forcing out a sigh the blonde licked her lips, tasting her words before speaking them. “It comes down to a question of where the dust goes after it has been stolen, Miss Schnee. We don’t have that answer, and acting rashly may in fact prove to be more treacherous than allowing things to play out. If we were to intervene at this point, we may provoke an attack. For all we know, the White Fang may be stealing that dust for non-lethal matters.”

“We don’t know that they aren’t, either.” Curilla added.

“One thing is certain.” Glynda said. “They have more than enough dust to launch an attack that could do astronomical damage to any kingdom. However, it could simply be that they’re trafficking the dust for profit. All councils agree that until we know more, we are not to do anything more than to provide defensive countermeasures when and where it applies. The academies do not agree, but our hands are tied by the councils.”

“But, that’s insane!” Weiss complained. “The more dust, the more dangerous the White Fang becomes.”

“They’re politicians, most have never seen war.” Curilla spat. “They have no idea what’s out there, hiding behind their bodyguards like cowards.”

“So there’s nothing we can do?”

“Miss Schnee, allow me to be clear. You are a mere child in the grand scheme of things. Even if there was something to be done, it would not be by your hands. If the kingdoms wanted to, they could obliterate the entirety of the White Fang in a single night. However, doing that might incite another civil war. There is more to this than simply a matter of criminal intent. Morality is grey, and the complexities of the world aren't so simple.”

* * *

Professor Goodwitch liked to think of herself as a rather giving woman. She wanted her students to do well, and often capitulated to idiotic requests when they had any sort of merit. Unfortunately for her, the question that had been posed by Ruby Rose was nothing short of baffling.

“Excuse me?” Glynda replied. “I think I may have misheard you. Don’t mumble, Miss Rose.”

Ruby poked her fingers together as she tried to stand up straighter and not crumple down under her cloak. “Can we go camping in the Emerald Forest?” Ruby asked, feeling smaller by the second under the professor’s gaze. Then, like many times when she was nervous, she started pleading her case and rambling nonsense. “It’s just that I think it would be a good idea, and I really like being out there, so it would be awesome if we could, so can we please?”

“You wish to go on a camping trip?” Glynda sighed. “In the middle of the school year, when classes are paramount and training is of utmost importance?”

“Yep!” Ruby chirped, nodding as the professor finally understood her request. “Can we?”

“That would depend entirely on the reason, and you would need supervision from a willing professor at the academy.” Glynda replied as her face fell, the realization settling in. Ruby was looking at her expectantly, the worst outcome she could hope for. “You want me to take you camping.” Glynda stated unhappily. “Why?”

“Because Weiss has never been camping in the wilds before.” Ruby told her. “She’s only gone to those big fancy resort things, and not out in the woods.”

“Is that so?”

“Crazy, right? I mean, what huntress-in-training hasn’t been in the woods after dark? You can’t be a huntress like that.”

“Someone who comes from an inhospitable climate, I’d imagine.” Glynda told her. “Miss Rose, she will gain that experience on missions. All of you will.”

“That’s not being prepared though. I mean, she didn’t even know how a Grimmshroom was made. That’s kid’s stuff. She doesn’t really even know the basics, and I know that living in Atlas must be way different. It’s still crazy that she’s never been out there. The Emerald Forest is right next to us, we could make a fast trip out of it. A weekend, it’s perfect. With you there it would be totally safe.”

Glynda removed her glasses as she closed her eyes. It was such a hilarious proposition on its face. “So, then you are suggesting this as a method of training your partner, is that the case?”

“Yep.”

“And you have no intention of using this trip of yours as a glorified vacation?

“Not really…” Ruby said, her eyes falling to the floor. The floor became her fixation. She followed the patterns on the rug beneath the desk. “I mean, I like camping. To me it is a fun thing to do, but for Weiss it really is training. Yang’s the only one out of my team that I’ve ever been camping with. Dad took us camping all the time, and I know that Blake can handle it out there. What about Weiss, though?”

“What about her, Miss Rose?”

“What about everything?” Ruby asked with a shake of her head and flinging her hands around before stuffing them behind her back. “What if we get separated on a mission and she can’t figure out what to eat? What if she can’t make clean water, or do anything when it really counts? Books are great, but I’ve seen her try to make a shelter, it’s a total mess.”

“So, you propose we go camping as a huntress would do on a mission, is that the case? With little more than our basic survival skills as the foundation for the trip itself?” Glynda posed as Ruby nodded. “An interesting proposition. If I may ask, why haven’t you consulted Professor Port in this matter? He is the one that would be the most fitting for an excursion like this.”

“Cause team JNPR wants to go too, but that’s only two guys to six girls.” Ruby sighed, scratching the back of her head. “I think Weiss would be way more comfortable being out there with a girl teacher around. She doesn’t really like Jaune, and she’s not happy about this in the first place. Ren’s great but Nora’s kind of crazy… Well, so is Yang, but um…” At that Ruby sighed. “I really want this to go the right way, you know?”

“I see, so you’ve discussed this idea with others, have you?”

“Yeah… Um, was that a bad thing?”

Glynda could already speculate the insanity. The last thing she needed was Professor Port telling them stories by the firelight to encourage any more obscene displays. She would not be receiving a call because of another Nevermore debacle. She certainly wouldn’t expect Professor Peach to attempt to chase after eight of the most reckless students in the school. She considered pawning them off on Bartholomew for a mere moment before mentally setting that idea on fire. No, his ability to find trouble was almost as bad as theirs.

“If you truly intend for this to be a method of training, it’s hardly an issue.” Glynda told her as she replaced the glasses upon her face. “However, you will need to collect your assignments from your classes for the duration of your absence and complete them ahead of time. Either that, or it must take place on the weekend.”

“Whenever we can go would be awesome. The weekend would totally work for us.” Ruby said. “I just think it’s a good idea.”

“Very well, I will supervise this little training excursion of yours. Prepare your team to be armed only. The school will provide the requisite materials. No packs, no luxuries. Instruct Jaune Arc of team JNPR to do the same if they plan to attend. We will leave as soon as classes end on Friday. We will not be returning until Sunday evening. Stragglers will be left behind at Beacon. Do not be late.”

* * *

“You assholes mean to tell me there’s no movement at all from Salem?”

“That’s about the size of it…”

“I don’t like this. Why hasn’t she made a move?”

“Salem works in mysterious ways, I try not to second guess the gift of peace.”

After graduation, Raven and Qrow came and went, becoming part of Ozpin’s innermost fold of trusted people. They were sent away more often than not, taking dangerous solitary missions that could easily get them killed. Raven sighed deeply, downing the amber liquid in her glass before cursing under her breath. “Hell only knows what that bitch is planning now.”

“That’s if she’s planning anything.” Ozpin replied. “You assume the worst. There are times she goes into hiding simply for the sake of it.”

“There are also times you’ve said she made a shit show out of Remnant. We need to find her.” Red eyes zeroed in on her brother, more than a little infuriated that he hadn’t found Salem’s trail either. “How in the hell do all four kingdoms lose track of her at once?”

“Salem has been playing this game a long time, Raven.” Ozpin replied cautiously, his mind drifting over what little information he had been given. It wasn’t nearly enough. “The Grimm flocking to the southern reaches of the continent was a diversion. We knew that was a possibility when Qrow was sent to track them. We will find her, but we must be aware. We can’t allow ourselves to become anxious. She will turn up eventually, she always does.”

“Meanwhile, we all look like idiots with our thumbs up our asses.” Raven bit out. “I want her head on a silver platter, Oz.”

“Salem is a paragon of our sins manifested into living form. She cannot be killed, only held at bay. Acting rashly solves nothing but to cause more malcontent.”

“There has to be a way to kill her off for good.” Raven muttered unhappily.

“So long as there is darkness in the world, there will always be a Salem. That is the curse bestowed upon humanity by the gods.” Ozpin sighed at length. “Scripture has been ignored by many. Instead, they’ve sought science, but those teachings are true, Raven. Every single one.”

“I don’t believe it.” Raven bit out. “Next time we even get a hint of her, I’m taking her ass down.”

“You would be no match for her alone.” Ozpin told her softly, his own drink in hand, swirling in the glass as he sighed. “Salem is a force of nature, the likes of which you cannot simply cut down. If that were so, she would hardly be a threat. However, that is not the case.”

“But to take her down we need two things.” Qrow groused out. “A silver eyed warrior willing to take on the curse, and an army ready and willing to get that warrior to Salem unscathed. That’s one hell of a demand to make.”

“Damned impossible, you mean.” Raven shot back. “This is bullshit anyway you look at it.”

“It’s not impossible. It’s merely a trial given to the world since the dawn of man.” Ozpin told them. “Salem is nothing but a curse placed upon the world to make us pay for our sins. Left to us by the God of Darkness himself for scorning him. For the bearer of the curse, every moment of darkness grants power. That power on a worldwide scale is beyond compare.”

“Yeah, well I’m not going to just stand around waiting for the world to end.” Raven told him.

“This incarnation of Salem doesn’t seek to destroy Remnant. At least, not at the moment.” Ozpin replied slowly. “She wants something else, however it isn’t a negotiation that we can grant. Her inaction is not uncommon, and you should endeavor to enjoy this peace while it lasts. If Salem acts within our lifetimes, the damage would be insurmountable. It always is, or so warns the archives of history.”

“If we don’t get rid of her now, then the next generation will have to deal with her too. She’ll be stronger by then. I’m not stupid, Oz. I know what you’ve done, and you’re lucky I don’t maim you.” At this Raven reached for the bottle, pouring more whiskey into her glass. “I might have agreed to your little devil’s deal, but my kid wasn’t part of the god damned plan.”

“Woah, hey now. Yang applied to Beacon all by herself. Oz had nothing to do with that.” Qrow said, grabbing the bottle from her. “Don’t go around blaming him for Yang’s decisions.”

“You’re right.” She growled, grabbing her brother by the shirt and yanking him close and shaking him forcefully. “It’s your ass that I should be kicking. What the hell is wrong with you?! Teaching those girls to fight, knowing what’s out there?” She said letting go of his shirt and shoving him backward. “Worthless piece of shit. I knew I should have taken Yang with me when I left. The bandits would have raised her right. This shit would have never happened.”

“Atlas Academy was her first choice.” Qrow said then. “Remember that. Took us months to talk her out of it.”

“Fuck you all!” Raven grit her teeth, hissing out an angry breath. “You better sure as hell watch those kids, Oz. Yang gets hurt, and you get dead. Don’t even get me started on what I’ll do to you if you pull Ruby into this.”

He nodded with a neutral expression. “You know I will do no such thing as matters currently stand.”

“You damn well better not, because your life depends on it.” She guzzled down her drink and slammed the glass onto the table. Collecting her weapon that was resting on the table, she made to leave.

“Threats, Raven?”

“Promises.”

“Hey, where are you going?” Qrow barked. “We’re not done yet.”

“Where does it look like I’m going shithead? I need some air.” With that Raven slammed the door behind her, leaving the two men behind.

“Well  _ that _ could have gone better…” Qrow sighed with a roll of his eyes.

“Leave her be.” Ozpin sighed at length. “She’s rightfully angry. We lost track of Salem, her temper was to be expected.”

“Yeah, if you say so.” Qrow muttered. “Could’ve done that without the bitchiness though…”

“Some within our fold are coming in from the other kingdoms to discuss this more thoroughly.” Ozpin replied as he grabbed his cane and stood from his chair. “Winter and Curilla are among the expected arrivals. I would suggest you be on your best behavior.”

“Yeah, fine.”

“I expect you sober for that meeting, Qrow, I mean it.” Ozpin told him. “You come dry or not at all.”

“Trust me, I spend half of my life wasted.” Qrow told him honestly. “But this? No, this is different. I won’t mess this kind of thing up. Never again.”

The door slipped open as Glynda entered the room, a form in hand that Ozpin needed to look over. “I do hope this isn’t a bad time, I just ran into Raven storming down the hall.”

“We were just discussing the matter of Salem.” Ozpin told her. “It went as well as you might expect it would.”

“That explains it.” Glynda agreed. “Since you seem to be finished with that little matter, I thought we could discuss another. A few students have come up with a field trip they’d like to have approved and I’ll require a few supplies.”

“Is that so?” Ozpin murmured, an amused smirk quirking his lips. “Qrow, you’re free to go. We’ll continue this discussion at a later time, once Raven has cooled off.”

“Yeah, don’t bet on that.” Qrow said, downing the rest of his glass. “I’ll be around, call if you need me.”

Glynda passed Ozpin the list of supplies as Qrow got up to leave. She took one of the empty chairs as he looked over the paperwork. “Just what do you have planned?”

“Teams RWBY and JNPR have decided they’d like to go on a camping trip. Miss Rose claims that it will be used as training, and as you can see I’ll be supervising.” Glynda told him as he turned the page over to find even more items on the back. “If she truly wishes to test their skills, I see no reason why we can’t accommodate that.”

“There is no food on this list, or water,” he said then. “Only the supplies to procure it.”

“That is the nature of the request. Miss Rose seems to want to have her team be put to the test.”

“A test to see if they’ll dehydrate and starve?”

“Not likely, I will be with them you know.” Glynda said with a shrug of her shoulders. “There is plenty of game in the forest to eat. I assume one of them is capable of hunting more than Grimm. In the event that they aren’t, they can always sharpen a stick and spear fish in the river.”

“In the event that fails?”

“Do you think I am incapable of feeding eight hungry teenagers for a mere weekend? I’ll do the hunting myself if it comes down to that.” Glynda shot back. “If it is training they want, it is training they will get. The disparity in skill level is astounding. Miss Rose made a point that it concerns her. I suspect that for most of them this will hardly be difficult. Then again, it does give us the opportunity to confirm that bias, now doesn’t it?”

“Even so…”

“Odd I know, but there you have it.”

“Well, Qrow did train the girl…”

“Factual and terrifying as that is, it does interest me to say the least. For as young as she is, in Forever Fall she surprised me. I realize her training was likely extensive, but there’s something more to it than that. It’s almost as if… hmm…”

“As if what, Glynda?”

“I have never seen a student quite like her before. She has the mentality of a licensed huntress, but the timid nature of a child. I thought I’d have to watch her like a hawk in Forever Fall. I was certain she wasn’t quite ready to be there. She proved me wrong.” The blonde woman murmured. “I want to see how far that knowledge really goes, Ozpin. I want to push the limits of it. Find the line and edge her beyond it. If we have any hopes to train her properly, we need to know where she truly stands. Basic testing just isn’t reliable, not for her.”

“Hmm, very well.” Ozpin said. “Take all of the supplies you need. I’ll expect a small report from each of them detailing what they’ve learned from the experience. It should be very entertaining.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 6/20/2020.


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of you may have noticed that more shipping tags have been added. The reason I waited to add them was because I wasn’t far ahead enough in my writing to know if they would stay as a ship, and those that won’t cement I’m not adding. There would be too damn many if I added every single thing that might be counted as “romance” so I wait them out until I’m sure that they’re going to sail. I’m deep enough into Arc III now (yes that’s how far ahead I am in writing) to guarantee a few more ships, so that’s why a few more tags have been added.
> 
> Lastly, I know many of you are gunning for the Black and White Arc, and that begins in the next chapter. Keep in mind though, here it is more drown out, a little more complex. Blake and Weiss will get their usual and expected arc that comes with it, but there will be more nuance this time around from surrounding circumstances/characters so strap in for that.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
****Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
****Chapter XXXIX**

They gathered together armed with little more than mission gear after class on Friday, making the trek down into the Emerald Forest. The breeze rattled the trees as they followed the trail. With a cart loaded full of odds and ends Glynda had taken careful stock of the eight students in front of her. Proctoring a training event such as this was simple on the surface, but devious as well. What stood before her was a mix of Beacon’s finest first year students, and some of the worst.

Thinking on the matter for any given time proved that it could be a boon. Before their departure she had issued the basic instruction before ordering Ruby to lead the group to a serviceable camping spot. What followed after that was something that had never been in her particular wheelhouse as the students chattered around her. Truly, Professor Port was more suited to events like these, his jovial nature providing a more thorough teaching experience. Glynda had always felt that way, and those feelings sunk deeper into her as they progressed down the path with aimless ambitions in sight.

For him, the experience itself would have been enough. His own upbringing and training as a huntsman had not been too dissimilar. Lectures taking place on the road, and not within the confines of the classroom. There had to be a merit in it, or else his skill would have not reached the acclaim he now comfortably tossed around at every opportunity. In his prime he had been formidable, and in his younger years this was exactly the sort of lesson he would have preferred. With that firmly in mind, she brought herself back to basics.

The foundational desire to make this experience one worth remembering tempered her strictness. Instead of commanding order, she took the opportunity to openly observe the young blood that surrounded her. For reasons she couldn’t quite understand, the students seemed to have their guards down, relaxed within the wooded area. Well, all of them except for one.

Weiss was not at all happy about this adventure, something that was obvious with every step she took, following her exuberant team leader with a small scowl and complaints flowing freely at every opportunity. “We don’t even have tents!” She went on to complain as Ruby skipped on ahead of the group.

“We don’t need tents, Weiss. We’re roughing it.” Yang said as she meandered along with her hands behind her back and not a care in the world.

“Is it really a good idea to let Ruby pick the camping spot?” Blake asked in passing at Yang’s side.

Glynda wondered that herself, but that was precisely why she had given the girl the task. The Emerald Forest wasn’t exactly the most dangerous location. Perfectly suited to training thanks to the threats it provided. An error in judgement would be all it would take to allow for Grimm to gain the upper hand.

Weiss seemed the most attuned to that, gritting her teeth as she likely bit off a scathing remark. “Personally, I think this entire idea was terrible from the start.”

“We know.” Yang replied, rolling her eyes. “We just don’t agree.”

Glynda couldn’t help but find a mild amusement in the girl’s frazzled nerves. Perhaps some mollification was in order. “As I understand it, this was her idea.” Glynda told them placidly. Structure suited the classroom and formal mission assignments. It lacked a place here in the informal teaching environment. Finding the careful balance was something all of the professors struggled with, none more so than herself. “As the mission leader, it should be her decision.”

“But you’re the professor.” Weiss said. “Professors always guide missions, it’s in the handbook.”

“Yet the parameters for this mission comes down to testing your aptitude for surviving within the wilds. That’s all the more reason to allow Miss Rose to guide us to our destination.”

“In other words we’re on a perpetual test.” Weiss said, eyes darkening as she realized there may be a grade involved in this.

“Quite.”

“Was it really such a good idea to make Jaune push the cart all by himself, though?” Yang asked, tossing a thumb over her shoulder to the members of team JNPR, who were only a few paces behind.

Glynda merely tilted her head at that, not entirely sure of that herself. It hadn’t been on her orders, and she had found it odd. Before she could begin to voice her opinion on that, Nora more than willingly filled in the blanks.

“Training, Yang.” Nora corrected happily. “Not pushing, training. He needs to bulk up.”

“We can’t all be like you, Nora.” Weiss sighed with a shake of her head.

“If he wants help, he’ll ask for it.” Pyrrha told her, continually reminding herself that this was all about building trust. He had trouble with asking for help, and that was something that needed to be forcefully removed from his system before it became a problem. This was harmless, but even she felt the need to continually look over her shoulder, wondering if she shouldn’t take the task from him. “However, I’ll probably switch off with him if we don’t find a camp within the hour.”

“I’m fine guys.” Jaune replied. “Honest.”

“You’re sweating bullets.” Ren deadpanned as he walked beside the cart. “Remember what I told you. If you do not maintain your aura, you will not regulate your body’s temperature.”

“I know that, but multitasking is harder than it looks.” Jaune told him, grunting when one of the wheels hit a stone as it passed.

“You’ll get the hang of it.” Ren told him.

“Using the cart to train an aura…” Glynda murmured, more than a little bewildered.

“It serves all of the requirements.” Pyrrha shrugged. “Though, he was supposed to be resting…”

“Resting?” Glynda asked. “Are you of frail health, Mr. Arc?”

The boy shook his head. “Nope, I’m perfectly fine.”

“They’ve been kicking his butt for festival training.” Ruby explained over her shoulder.

“He can rest when we actually get there. Besides, it’s foolproof, this is how Ren and I trained.” Nora told her. “The huntsmen had us carrying their stuff as kids. In return for training, we were pretty much pack mules.”

“That does raise a question I have had for quite some time, mind you. What is the problem with your aura, Mr. Arc?” Glynda said, gazing on ahead to where Ruby was studying the forest around her before continuing on. “I have never seen a huntsman-in-training with your credentials have such long standing issues.”

Jaune stopped in his tracks. “Uh… Well, about that…”

“We believe it could be undiagnosed aura overflow.” Pyrrha snapped in quickly to save Jaune from getting himself into trouble. “His aura is incredibly large.”

That was true too, though the boy seemingly had no idea how in the world to use it. The professor could only roll her eyes. “Was that not something you were tested for, or at least taught to control?”

“Um… not really…” He said, not quite sure what in the heck aura overflow was, or even what that meant for him.

“Have you considered medication to regulate the issue?”

“Nope.” He said, smirking nervously.

“What’s aura overflow, anyway?” Ruby asked, turning around and backpedaling as though it were the easiest thing in the world.

“Aura overflow is strictly as it sounds, Miss Rose. It is a condition most often found in younger people, men particularly. A production of too much aura in the body can make it difficult to control, though medication in the form of low dose aura inhibitors normally solves the issue. Occasionally pregnant women, or someone experiencing a grave illness can encounter it as well. People generally grow out of the condition after reaching adulthood.”

“Oh.” Ruby said, cocking her head and accepting the explanation for what it was and turning back around to face forward.

“What is she even looking for?” Ren asked. “This is the third clearing we’ve passed.”

“Good question.” Yang muttered before calling ahead. “Hey Ruby, what gives? Why haven’t we stopped yet?”

“Those are poison berries.” Ruby said, pointing to a few of the nearby bushes. “Plus, we’ve got a day of water max. I want to find a stream.”

“Are there any streams that are even usable in this place?” Nora asked then. “I don’t think I’ve seen one.”

“The animals have to drink from somewhere.” Ren replied.

The professor only nodded. “The Emerald Forest has plenty of water, and we have purification tablets.”

“Don’t think we will need the tablets though. It’s pretty clean this time of year.” Ruby said as she turned around to walk backwards, hands behind her back as she looked at the group. “Our aura should be enough to handle freshwater.”

“That’s disgusting, Ruby.” Weiss muttered dryly.

“It’s water not piss, Weiss.”

“Yang, I will freeze your mouth shut.”

“Well, there is a good chance that there’s a trace amount of urine in the water.” Blake added, if only to see the disgusted look and the annoyed glare that earned her from the shortest member of her team. “Well, it’s true. Animals go in it, fish at least.”

Glynda raised a brow at the exchange. “Is your team usually so vitriolic?”

“Yep, it’s normal.” Ruby said, unbothered by all of it. “Weiss is easy to goad, and they like to get a rise out of her. Although, Weiss hasn’t ever frozen Yang’s mouth shut, it’s an empty threat and Yang knows it. That’s probably why she keeps doing it.”

“You’re all going to be the death of me.” Weiss groused under her breath.

“Despite the questionable turn this discussion has taken, Miss Rose is quite correct. Aura is usually enough to protect the body from the common bacteria found in clean water. However, that doesn’t mean it can protect against all of it, and doing so isn’t usually advisable when tablets are on hand.”

“My uncle always says drink it straight up if you can, to build immunities or something like that. Unless it’s standing water. Always purify standing water, and never drink from that unless there’s nothing else around.”

“I would still advise that you use the tablets. I would not have requested them if I didn’t think your health to be paramount.” Glynda said.

“We’re used to Patch water, we’ll be fine.” Yang said. “Weiss though…”

“I will most certainly be using purification tablets.” Weiss said, crinkling her nose.

\--

Ruby took them deeper into the forest. Well beyond the ruins and deep into the trees, stopping once she found a shallow but swiftly flowing stream. She looked around a bit before deeming the location perfect. Glynda had her doubts, making note of the lack of adequate cover and fresh Grimm tracks that indicated a wandering pack of Beowolves. Ruby seemed to notice them too, though the girl seemed much less concerned about them.

As Ruby ordered the group to set up camp, Glynda found it odd that Ruby didn’t see fit to build herself adequate cover. Instead, the girl began pulling the supplies out of the cart, frowning down at the lack of important ones.

“Looks like we’re going to have to hunt,” she said, more to herself than her older sister that stood beside her. “There’s only enough here for a single meal each, and the calorie count is way too low.”

“Emergency rations…” Yang sighed. “Great...”

“Looks like we’re going to have to set out now if we want dinner.”

“Still don’t like doing it, huh?” Yang said, rubbing Ruby’s back comfortingly.

“Do you?” Ruby asked darkly as Yang wordlessly shook her head. “Guess it can’t be helped. I did say I wanted this to be training…”

“Yeah, but still.” Yang muttered as she looked at the set of knives that sat wrapped up in a blue tarp. “I wonder if there are any fish in the water.”

“Probably not big enough to eat.” Ruby said as she leaned against the wagon.

“Is there a problem, Miss Rose?” Glynda asked from her position beside Weiss, overseeing the girl’s attempt at a shelter. Ruby had been rightfully concerned as Weiss fought her tarp down in the breeze, flailing around before she managed to get a hold of the crumpled black mass that caught in the occasional gust.

“There’s not enough food.” Ruby said. “I didn’t think there would be, but there are skinning knives in there.”

“Indeed, Miss Rose.” Glynda told her. “You should task someone with procuring food, should you not? There is plenty of game to find in these woods. Food should be of little complication for a huntress.”

“Wait, you mean killing an animal?” Weiss asked, feeling sick.

“How else would you expect to eat if you didn’t have sufficient nutrition?” Glynda returned plainly.

“I’m not going to ask anyone to kill anything.” Ruby said. “I’ll do it myself.”

“Nah, sis, that’s not fair on you.” Yang told her. “We both know you’d be scrounging up plants and fruit before you’d kill an animal.”

“There’s too many of us to do that, Yang. Night will come too soon, and your weapon isn’t made for hunting food.”

“I’ll go if no one else wants to, but if I hunt, I do it alone.” Blake said, standing up from her knelt down position, leaving her shelter half finished. She brushed off her hands and picked up her weapon that rested beside her on the ground. “I don’t mind hunting.”

“What, why would you do that alone?” Ruby asked. “There’s way too many Grimm around.”

“Too many people will spook the animals.” Blake told her. “Plus, Yang makes way too much racket. With her around, we’d be stuck with a rabbit or a squirrel.”

“I’m not _that_ bad.” Yang said, rolling her eyes.

“It breaks protocol.” Pyrrha added. “You can’t leave the group on your own, it’s against Beacon’s policy.”

“We’ve got a professor right here.” Blake chipped out. “She overrides the policy.”

Glynda eyed Blake suspiciously. Faunus were capable hunters, the best by far, predator Faunus specifically. Even so, it would break protocol to allow her to go alone. She licked her lips. Here she was, presented with an interesting challenge. “Ultimately, Miss Rose is the team leader. I will allow it on her approval.” Glynda said after a moment. “These forests are covered in cameras and drones, which is why we allow students to train within these woods during the day without supervision when and where applicable. That said, I would like to remind all of you that the threat of Grimm will always loom over you.”

“Plus, remember initiation?” Ruby told her. “There’s no way you’re going alone.”

“If it’s got to be partners, we’ll go.” Ren said, having completed his own bedding for the duration of the trip. He always shared a sleeping space with Nora on outings, making use of the tight space to preserve warmth. It had saved their lives on more than one occasion, and it had become customary. “Our bed is already done.”

“Are you guys really okay with doing that, Ren?” Jaune asked softly.

“We’ll deal with it.” Ren told him.

“Okay with it? Not really.” Nora said. “You’ve got to keep in mind, it’s no different than eating meat at the school, though.” Already slinging her weapon over her shoulder, she was ready to leave. “I mean, unless you go completely vegetarian… That’s a thing too, I guess, but not out here. It’s just a thing you get used to.”

Ruby nodded. “Alright then you guys can go. Blake and Yang can get started on the water. Pyrrha and I can secure the perimeter.”

“What are Jaune and I supposed to do?” Weiss asked as her tarp nearly smacked her in the face again.

“You guys just finish setting up camp.” Ruby said. “Get your beds made, a fire started, set up the butchering supplies on the perimeter… You know, all the usual stuff you’d have to get done when setting up a longstanding foothold.”

“We’re only here for the weekend!”

“Training Weiss.” Nora said cheerily. “It’s all about the training. Come on, Ren. Let’s head out.”

\--

As to be expected, the students managed their first evening in the woods with little incident. A warm portion of rabbit stew filling their bellies, and a roaring fire keeping the campsite alight. As the sun set behind the trees, a thick darkness set in on the outskirts of the campsite. The students not on watch relaxed among themselves. It was Yang and Blake’s turn to keep watch as they patrolled the radius. The night was calm, only the singing insects and fireflies stirring to life. When ground patrol no longer proved useful they climbed up a tree to get an adequate vantage point.

Yang couldn’t help but watch her partner as dim flickers of firelight crossed her face. Blake was at ease in the forest, more so than Yang thought she would be. It had been the same in Forever Fall. The woman taking slow deep breaths, seemingly less guarded. Given that it was now nighttime, Yang found it strange. She couldn’t help but wonder why. Blake couldn’t help but be amused at the confusion that openly crossed Yang’s face.

If Yang had been a Faunus herself, she would have been naturally attuned to the scent of the wilds. The air was cleaner out here, a vast difference from the smell of the city. She would have clearly seen the flora and fauna nestled safely in their sleeping spots. She would have been able to appreciate the distant threats that wandered further from the camp, uncaring of the people inhabiting the woods. Yet all of those subtle clues were lost to humans when night fell over the world. The reasons that Faunus could live in relative peace upon land crawling with Grimm came with knowledge that only their instincts provided.

Scientists believed that was part of the reason why Faunus had yet to lose such vital tools to their survival. They were one with the forests, capable of understanding Grimm inherently. Knowing instinctively when one was simply passing by or looking for trouble. Elder Grimm were rarely a threat. Wise enough to leave villages alone more often than not. It was the young ones that proved most dangerous. Filled with bloodlust and a taste for flesh.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself.” Yang said softly, plucking at the leaves idly. A few of the larger ones would be useful if the single roll of toilet paper ran out.

“I enjoy the wilds.” Blake said calmly. “I wouldn’t want to be a huntress if I didn’t.”

“I guess that’s true.” Yang said with a shrug. “Weiss isn’t a fan though.”

“Most people aren’t.”

“Seems weird though, being a huntress and hating the outdoors.”

“I suppose it depends on the sort of huntress she becomes. Not all of them frequent the outdoors like this. At least, not for extended periods of time.”

“Never thought of it like that…”

“Surprise, surprise…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s never occurred to you, that’s kind of obvious.”

“Yeah, well we shouldn’t be living in the lap of luxury. We do hard work once we have a license, that’s the way it should be.”

“There’s a time and place for a huntress like Weiss.” Blake said, leaning back against the tree more comfortably and closing her eyes. “She’ll probably settle in a kingdom someplace, fortifying the nearby wilds.”

“Maybe…”

“I take it you have other plans?”

“I don’t really have plans.”

“Again, not a surprise.” Blake murmured.

Blake couldn’t help but consider that. She had to wonder what Yang had to gain from being a huntress, but such questions pried too deeply. As much as Blake wondered, she didn’t really want to have the question flung back at her as Yang had a tendency to do. Bake doubted she could form the words, anyway. There was nothing she could say that wouldn’t inspire more questions.

As much as she wanted to know, she had promised herself she wouldn’t build bonds too closely. She needed to draw the line, despite how difficult Yang made the task at every single turn.

She couldn’t help but crack an eye open, the question still on the tip of her tongue. Fighting the urge to ask, she turned her attention back to the wilds. Her partner seemed content enough with that, sitting around and keeping her eye on the surroundings. For now, that had to be enough.

While humans and Faunus had evolved differently, communities that shared those strengths and weaknesses together were among the strongest communities to thrive. If the kingdoms took notice of this, the Grimm threat would be mitigated. Unfortunately, until a common ground was reached that would be impossible.

Grimm were attracted to negative emotions, growing hungry when presented with a population of desperate people and dire outcomes. World peace on all levels would calm countless types of Grimm from feeling the urge to attack, but that goal seemed unattainable.

It was why they were safe from harm for the moment, Blake assumed. There was nothing negative here tonight. Even Weiss had calmed herself enough to enjoy roasting a berry over the open fire, delighting in the way the sugary morsels caramelized within. Only a starving Grimm would seek out their campsite on this night, and with a forest so plentiful in food, that was unlikely.

\--

The grey dawn of the morning filtered through the thin curtains of the dusty motel room. Raven rolled her eyes as she fixated on the half nude woman who was currently gathering her things. They rarely saw each other, but when they did it was for a few easy thrills and very little commitment. It was better that way. The Atlesian woman had her life and Raven had hers. The two paths crossed like ships in the night, passing by for flights of fancy whenever they could afford it. It never went beyond that, for a plethora of reasons.

“General Jackass won’t be happy about the fact that there’s no more information.”

Winter was too busy trying to smooth out the wrinkles in her shirt to offer a glare. Her voice carried her displeasure. “It can’t be helped. Besides, technically I’m not on official business. My call was merely that of pleasure. If you did have any information for us, I’d have called that a happy coincidence.”

“When the flying fuck do you take time off?”

“When my sister attends Beacon Academy.”

“Goddamn, so you do have a life outside the military.”

“Of all the stupid things to say…” Winter trailed off. “I do have a meeting with Ozpin, but that isn’t for several days. I rarely take time off, but when I do I make sure it aligns well with any current assignments I may have. This just so happens to fill multiple boxes, and General Ironwood is usually reasonable.”

“Can’t prove it by me.”

“He saw fit to allow the request, or else I wouldn’t have come here for quite some time.” Winter bit out. “Now stop with your foolishness and go find an ironing board that isn’t broken.”

“So you’ll get dressed?” Raven asked, a single eyebrow raised, sporting a filthy grin. “No thanks, I think I like you prancing around in your panties better.”

“Raven…”

“What? The shirt seems fine to me.”

“I will not walk onto Beacon’s campus looking as though I just had a one night stand. I left all of my clothes back at my own hotel.”

“We did have a one night stand.”

“Is that what we’re still calling this?” Winter asked her, one hand on her hip in annoyance. “I thought that title died thirty stands ago.”

Raven barked a laugh. “Holy hell, you’ve been counting…”

“It happens so infrequently over the years.”

“Well if you weren’t so damn busy all the time…”

“As if you aren’t always away on missions. You come to Atlas so rarely that I sometimes wonder if you even remember how to get there.”

“Point taken.”

“I do try to recall our moments fondly when we do have them.” Winter went on to say as she inspected the rest of her clothes. “Mind you, I know all too well that anything beyond that is quite impossible given the circumstances. Now then, I believe I asked you to retrieve an ironing board so that I can look presentable.”

Raven merely shook her head as she dragged herself up from off of the seat. “Fine, have it your way. I just thought you might be interested in breakfast in bed and round two.”

Winter paused then. It was such a strange thing for Raven to suggest. She had never done it before. The concern for her shirt was discarded under the pretense that Raven may in fact be serious. “Is that an offer you’re willing to make?”

“Are you going to take it?” Raven asked, bare feet padding across the room. “It’s an easy question, babe.” Threading her fingers into the long white tresses that had yet to be combed out and placed neatly into a bun for the day. “Yeah or no, it’s that simple.”

“It never is.” Winter murmured, tilting her head slightly to the side.

“I get it. You want me to start something here.” Raven murmured then, not quite sure what to do with that information. Neither one of them could manage successful relationships in the past. Both of them had given up trying. “We both know that’ll be a shit storm.”

“You have a meeting with Ozpin today, and I plan to check up on my sister.” Winter said softly, trying to put a wall between what she really wanted, and the fact surrounding their current relationship, or distinct lack of it. “We don’t have time for dalliances, let alone implying anything beyond that.”

Of course they did. The time was there between them, guarded so heavily that neither one of them typically budged an inch on the matter. It was easier to deny it. Raven found herself taking a step back and letting go of those white silver tresses. That was easier than promising a commitment that neither one of them could truly afford to give. The reasons why were completely staggering.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Raven said with the same flippant demeanor she always offered when it suited her. “I’ll go get that ironing board.”

\--

When most in the group left to procure food for breakfast in the early dawn, Jaune and Pyrrha were tasked with perimeter control and keeping the camp secure. Left to their own devices they relaxed by the dying fire that required more wood. Weiss had already dropped down one set of mostly dry branches and had left in search of another set. She did it without complaint, even as she lamented that her perfectly manicured nails required a proper cleaning.

“Do you really think I have aura overflow?” He asked as he poked the fire with a twig.

“To be honest, I don’t know. I’m no doctor, so I have no idea. It’s a harmless condition, and it was a reasonable excuse.” Pyrrha said as she broke the sticks into manageable pieces. “You just have to practice using it, Jaune. It’s not a skill that happens overnight. It took me months to gain mastery over my aura, but most people start young. Prior to Beacon, you attended academics right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“There would be no reason for them to unlock it.”

“I don’t know why I’m not good at it by now.” Breaking it in half and tossing it into the pit, he watched the fire consume it. He had dug out just yesterday, and had a small sense of pride that his first night in the wilds had gone well. He had been camping before, but he had been worried he’d make a fool of himself. “Do you really think I’ll make it past this year?”

“I don’t see why you wouldn’t.” She tossed a few of the broken sticks into the fire before sitting down beside him. With the sun just lifting over the trees, she took comfort in the tranquility. “You probably won’t be anywhere near the top of the class.”

“I’ll settle for passing, but won’t that lower your grade too?”

“It’s a sacrifice we’d all have to be willing to take.”

“That’s not fair on you guys, though.”

“Beacon Academy comes with those sacrifices. There’s no avoiding them. If I had wanted to certify privately, I would have sought out a tutor. Ren and Nora must be the same way, or they wouldn’t have gone through all of the trouble in order to attend.”

“What’s the point, though? If you could have had a private tutor, why come here?”

Pyrrha thought on that. For her, it came down to her social life, or dire lack of it. “You act as an apprentice, meaning that you can’t actually apply for your testing certificate until your tutor approves you. That could take much longer than four years depending on the tutor. Plus, it’s usually only done by families or those with enough money to pay someone to do it. You’re alone with that tutor for a long time, and that can be a risk too if it’s the wrong sort of person. It can be a bit lonely being away from a campus. You lose your independence too, your tutor is your authority. There is no one else. I’ve never been fond of that. Here I can just be a student, and I like that.”

“I wish my dad would have just trained me. Then I wouldn’t have to be a burden on anyone but him.”

“We’re all burdens, myself included.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Oh, but I am.” Pyrrha insisted with a laugh. “Of course I am, that’s the point of training. We’re burdens on our professors and those with licenses that we’ll be shadowing.” Pyrrha told him honestly. “I’m sure Professor Goodwitch has better things to do than supervising our teams out here in the Emerald Forest. Yet, her job is to train us. We’re intended to be burdens right now. Enjoy it while it lasts. One day, you’ll be the one that’s being shadowed and the things you learn now will need to be passed on.”

Jaune perked up at that. “You really think so?”

“Once you have your license the option will certainly be open to you.” Pyrrha shrugged. “Who knows, you might one day come across a kindred spirit in need of your guidance. I’m sure there are others like yourself. Those seeking training without any way to find it without sneaking into an academy. If you could train a person like that for the right reasons, wouldn’t you at least make the attempt?”

Jaune nodded. “In a heartbeat.”

\--

Ozpin sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. A gathering of his inner circle was never easy to achieve. Making those plans at length required perfect scheduling, which on this day was not written in the stars. Those that had collected thus far were a powder keg waiting to go off. If Glynda were there, perhaps the small meeting in his office would have gone smoothly, but that was made impossible with the blonde woman away from campus to oversee the students.

“I hope you realize you’re in way over your head on this one.” Qrow bit out, sending daggers across the table to Curilla.

“That is none of your concern.” Curilla said sternly. “The only goal you have is to find Salem, a task you have failed so incomprehensibly at doing that I cannot even fathom why Ozpin hasn’t gutted you where you stand.”

“Your people lost her too.”

“My people have other tasks at hand!” Curilla bellowed. “You had one, and you couldn’t even manage that.”

“What the hell do you want me to do, fly my happy ass all around the continent another time and hope she farts in the right direction?!” Qrow bellowed back. “We’ve lost her, she’s gone. Get over it!”

“Losing track of the single most pervading threat to all of the kingdoms is not something to simply ignore!”

“Enough!” Ozpin demanded, silencing the both of them. He slumped back in his chair with an exhausted sigh.

“My apologies.” Curilla said with a curt nod in his direction. Meanwhile Qrow merely grumbled under his breath, likely spitting venomous curses.

“The way I see it, we have a much more pressing concern ahead of us.” Ozpin murmured after a moment. “The White Fang should be our current focus. Salem will only strike when the urge to do harm to this world overcomes her. We need to keep an eye on the political and social climates. This Salem has been trapped with the curse for too long, if a war breaks out the malignancy will be too much for her to bear.”

“What’s your proof on that? You never did tell us what she wants.” Qrow told him. “You’d think that whatever she wants, she’d just take it. If she’s as strong as you say she is, she could already screw us over.”

“What she wants, she cannot have.” Curilla said firmly. “That’s impossible.”

“What the hell is so impossible to give her?” Qrow bit out.

“We cannot give her lost humanity back, Qrow.” Ozpin stated, the vexation so clear in his voice that it carried in spite of his quiet tone. “The curse simply doesn’t work that way. The Temple Knights have spent too long in search of an answer for that, but there is none.”

“The gods were vengeful.” Curilla said sternly. “Salem is the price we pay, vengeance placed upon humanity for turning upon them. We failed to worship our makers, and the gods saw fit to punish us for those misgivings.”

“Aw, cut the crap.” Qrow told her. “We can’t break it somehow? There’s got to be some way, right?”

“The prophecies tell of a second coming, of course. However, as I say time and again, that is too risky. Humanity itself is not yet ready to face judgement.”

“Despite faith and belief, for the sake of the people we cannot take all of scripture as proven fact, either.” Ozpin said with a small wave of his hand before tenting his fingers upon his desk. “The return of the gods may not be factual. We haven’t tested it to know for sure.”

“If it were true, doing that would be far too dangerous.” Curilla bit out. “They have proven truthful thus far. They have not once taken us astray. I believe calling the gods is more than possible. It’s fate, one that will lead humanity to its demise if they were to judge us as we are.”

“Perhaps so, but we must be careful not to let ourselves be blinded by the old teachings, either.” Ozpin said thoughtfully. “Yes, the scriptures have been proven correct so far. Yes, we continue to follow their guidance at every turn. However, we are not divine entities. There is no way to know where the truth ends and myth begins. We take the gospels as truth because that is all we have to defend against Salem. There’s a limit to it. As we know it to be true, death is the only way to escape the curse. A silver eyed warrior must eradicate her. However, this warrior must be of sound mind and body. The more that the power of the silver eyes are used, the weaker they become. It’s just a fact.”

“Not that she would go willingly…” Qrow added.

“Salem doesn’t want to die like others have sought to do. She wants to simply be a woman again, but the malignancy in her soul prevents that.” Ozpin went on to say. “For generations, she has lacked the cruelty of others before her. It’s one of the reasons we’ve kept her alive so long. At least, that is what I was told. However, that began to change when you were still students. She began to kill more often, and to darken the land with more Grimm than usual.”

“I fear to say this, but we may need to intervene soon.” Curilla told him. “It wasn’t in the plans, but the risks she poses are beyond compare. She is probably losing any last hints of her humanity.”

“Not yet.” Ozpin told Curilla. “I doubt it has happened yet, but you’re right that could be soon. Without an eye on her, there is no way for us to tell.”

“Regardless.” Curilla rested her hand on the hilt of her sword. A nervous tick, and of little comfort now. “Once she does, she may be unstoppable. I realize I was not the option you had in mind, Ozpin, but I may be the only serviceable candidate you have.”

“You’d blow us all to hell in a week.” Qrow told her.

“He’s right, Curilla. You may have the silver eyes, but are not the sort of candidate we need.” He sighed then. “However, we need to be careful. Whoever we choose as our new candidate needs to have a soul that isn’t prone to cruelty and wouldn’t seek to harm others. The more placid the soul, the longer the curse can be held at bay. Salem brings only destruction. That is the nature of the curse.”

“We need to find her before we do anything else.”

“We cannot act rashly.” Ozpin said. “Wherever she goes, she cannot live a normal life. Yet, she is too proud to die. Right now, she is hiding. We need to hope it stays that way.”

\--

Glynda was not a stupid woman. The moment Winter’s airship docked at Vale’s nearby airfield, she knew to expect a visit from the eldest Schnee sibling. She had sent a warning that Weiss would be away from the campus, unavailable for a proper visit. That detail alone didn’t seem to be enough for the specialist. Glynda didn’t know how Winter managed to gain the information, and didn’t bother to inquire why the woman was trudging through the Emerald Forest as though she were on a reconnaissance mission. They were allies with ties that went far deeper than mere kingdom affiliation, and that was the only reason Glynda didn’t take up arms then and there.

A small pang of annoyance prickled at her. The mere thought that Winter felt the need to keep an eye on her sibling as though she were a baby chick wasn’t very becoming. She ignored the woman, hoping she chose to keep her distance and her cover mindfully in place. It was clear that she had no interest in alerting the students to her presence, otherwise she would have marched right into the camp and directly announced herself.

Instead, she watched from afar. In truth, Winter was likely just as baffled by what the group of students were currently doing.

“This one’s name is Stew-pot, and that one’s name is… I don’t know yet. Ruby, think of a name.”

Yang laughed as she deposited another small river fish into the bucket filled with water. “Nora, don't name the dinner.”

“Perfect, that’s his name!” Nora said happily, regarding Yang’s small catch. “Your name’s Dinner little fishy.”

“Hey! That’s my fish. Don’t go naming my fish, I won’t want to eat it.”

“How are you even catching them?” Weiss asked as her line went untouched again. “Why isn’t this working?”

“Cause your bait is just sort of floating there stupidly in the water.” Yang said, tugging at the line. “I told you before, you’ve got to wiggle it.”

“This isn’t working.” Weiss grumbled. “Ruby, just let Nora shock the water already…”

“And kill every living thing in it?” Ruby shook her head. “I said no semblances, I mean it.”

“If we use our semblances in a way that damages the wildlife, the Grimm will breed and spread.” Ren said from his place by the small stream. “Nora wouldn’t be able to use her semblance even if she wanted to.”

“Fishing seems fine to me.” Yang shrugged, admiring the tiny little fish she had managed to catch. A few more might make a dinner.

“You’re all doing it wrong.” Blake said, having taken off her shoes and socks to go mucking around in the chilly water. In her hands, she’d captured a much bigger fish than the others, holding it aloft with a glint in her eyes. “This is how you catch bream.”

“That thing must be a full pound! Nice catch, Blake.” Ruby praised as Blake deposited the fish into the bucket. “They’ve only managed to catch dinky ones compared to that.”

“I told you before, you can’t catch bream with those makeshift fishing poles.” Blake said. “They don’t want our leftover food scraps, and whatever the heck that goop is.”

“It’s the moss from the rock.” Nora pouted. “The little one liked it.”

“It was probably too little and stupid to know better.” Blake said then, looking down at the tiny creature. “You can’t eat a fish that small. It’s like what, a bite?”

“I must remind all of you, you may only eat what you catch and prepare yourself.” Glynda called.

“There must be something to this.” Weiss said as she pulled off her boots and socks. “Blake get over here and show me how to do what you did.”

“Oh, this is going to be good.” Yang smirked.

“That water has got to be freezing.” Ruby said. “I don’t know how you can just stand in it like that.”

“I’m from Atlas, Ruby. This water is hardly the sort that would chill you to the bone.”

“Alright, look… These fish are swimming down to the bigger river. The water is pretty shallow here so it should be easy for you.” Blake said as she found her original position in the middle of the water. “Just lean over, put your hands in the water, and stand as still as possible. When one of the fish gets stupid enough to swim between your legs, grab it. They’re slippery so dig your nails into it to get a good grip.”

“Careful not to fall in.” Ruby warned. “There’s no fire dust in your clothes, if you get soaked they’ll take forever to dry, and you don’t have an extra set.”

“Not factual, we have the sets of scrubs in the bags in case things go wrong.” Weiss said. “I recall the stock you took.”

“Yeah, but do you really want to strip bare-ass naked in the middle of the woods?” Yang asked.

“With someone covering you, besides?” Pyrrha added.

“Plus there aren’t any in size extra small in there. I don’t know if you could tie the ones we have tight enough to keep them from falling off.” Ruby said. “If I were you I’d strip down to my underwear just in case.”

“Shut up before I glyph all of you into the water.” Weiss groused in complaint. “I’m trying to concentrate.”

“I’m sorry.” Pyrrha apologized. “I just don’t believe this is very wise, is all.”

“Look.” Blake said, pulling another catch from the water, this one much smaller than her first. Unamused with the size, she released it back into the water. “See, what I mean? It’s not difficult.”

“How are you so good at that?” Yang asked. “There’s no way I’d catch a fish that way.”

“Do you think I carry fishing line everywhere I go? Learning how to do it this way is just way more practical. I could catch a catfish with my arm if I needed to.”

“Now that, I’d pay to see.” Yang said with a shake of her head. “I’ll just stick with my way, thanks.”

“I see you aren’t fishing Miss Rose…” Glynda said to her. “I do hope you have enough food for the night.”

“Trail mix!” She said quite happily, holding her cloak aloft, full of her foraging. “Nuts, berries, plants, all I need right in here.”

“You’re crazy.” Weiss said to her as a fish escaped her hands. “You’re absolutely crazy.”

“At least my food can’t swim away…” Ruby said, popping a berry into her mouth. “And I don’t have to gut mine before I eat it.”

“Oh my god…” Weiss looked down at the water horrified. All of the fish suddenly became unappetizing. “You’re joking…” She muttered disgustedly, looking up at Glynda. “Surely you don’t expect me to do that…”

“I did say that you were on your own for dinner.” Glynda merely shrugged. “How else would you expect to prepare the fish?”

\--

There were few times when a Schnee went without supper, yet here she was. With only a handful of berries in her hand and a grumbling stomach for her troubles she sat beside the bush that Ruby had found, plucking at the tiny fruit and lamenting the full meal that Blake was munching on near the water. “Why don’t you hunt, Ruby. You seem the outdoors type.”

“I do if I have to.” Ruby shrugged. “I just don’t have to. They all wasted way more energy than they’re going to get, well… aside from Blake. Those fish are small, packed with protein and healthy acids, sure. In the end though, Blake and I are the only ones with a well-rounded meal. Though, I’ve gotta admit, hers probably tastes way better.”

Weiss frowned down at her growling stomach, eyeing Blake’s meal with a newfound jealousy as the girl bit into her fish. She had saved some of her berries from earlier in the day, the perfect addition. “I’m just not cut out for this, am I?”

“Hmm, you’re okay.” Ruby said, turning to look at her partner. “Your shelter stayed up, I was worried about that.”

“It’s cockeyed.”

“It works…”

“I’m starving.”

“Hungry, maybe, not starving. You’re fine. Don’t worry about the fish. Go hungry a few more times, and your tummy will get the better of you.”

“I don’t think I’d ever have it in me to do something like that. Without you, I never would have found the seeds and dandelions. I didn’t even know you could eat them.”

“Weiss, don’t compare yourself to us. We’ve been doing this kind of thing our whole lives. Yang and I… Well, we just know how to do it. You’ll figure it out too.”

“Her shelter looks like a house…”

Ruby laughed at that. “We played in the woods as kids. If this were for real, she wouldn’t have spent over two hours building it.”

“You can say it. I’m failing this endeavor spectacularly.”

“But why would I say that?” Ruby asked softly. “It’s not what I think…”

“Then, what do you think?”

“I think…” Ruby licked her lips, taking a sip of water from her metal canister. “I think something’s wrong. I don’t think it has anything to do with the camping trip. I don’t know what it is, but I think if I ask, you’ll just tell me you’re fine again. So… I mean, since that doesn’t really do any good, I think I won’t ask.”

Weiss considered that as she watched Ruby pop a small handful of seeds into her mouth. “That has nothing to do with you, Ruby.”

“Maybe not.” Ruby agreed. “It’s just… it’s weird I guess.”

Weiss glared at her, trying to puzzle out that statement, but to no avail. “I don’t understand.”

“I feel like, since I’m supposed to be the leader that I’ve got things I need to do…” Ruby wished she knew how to phrase things better than that, but it was lost to her. “I feel like I’m not doing them. Or maybe it just isn’t good enough. I kind of get the feeling like if I did better, you’d talk to me more...”

“We are talking.”

“No… Like really talk…” Ruby said. “The talking kind of talk. The stuff that matters.”

“Now you’re rambling.”

“I know…”

Weiss sighed at length, more than a little exasperated. “Ruby, there are some topics that simply shouldn’t be discussed.”

“Yeah, like what?” Ruby asked her seriously. “What’s so bad that you can’t talk about it? I can’t think of a single thing that shouldn’t be talked about.”

“You and I are from entirely different worlds.”

“No, you’re just not used to really talking.” Ruby told her. “Uncle Qrow told me once that even bad stuff has a place for discussion. Even the worst thing in the world needs to be talked about, otherwise it never gets fixed. Nothing is taboo, he said. The moment you make it taboo, you make it unfixable. Then he told me to never stop talking, he made me promise not to make his mistakes…”

“I’m a Schnee, Ruby. You’ve seen the news. I’m sure you know what’s bothering me.”

“The Faunus stealing stuff bothers you?”

“That would be correct.” Weiss said stiffly, another berry providing the moment she needed to breathe without replying. “Among other things unrelated.”

“You can think the White Fang are wrong and not be a Schnee, you know.” Ruby said. “I don’t know what the other stuff is, but I can always listen.”

Weiss merely shook her head. “It’s just not the right time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 6/24/2020.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As i said prior, Chapter 40 begins the Black and White arc. This arc lasts until chapter 50. The reason of this is simply because of the added characters in need of fleshing out particularly for Black and white and beyond. Outside of Weiss and Blake needing their screen time, and team RWBY being thrown off balance for a bit there's other content too. Tucson makes a small return, meanwhile Penny and other longstanding characters need a good portion of chapters too. Sit tight, because here we go. 
> 
> Also as a reminder: I have my niece and nephew up for a visit. This means updates will be slower than your used to.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXX**

Nightfall had cast the forest into darkness on Saturday night. Washing up and looking at her reflection in the water, Weiss thumbed over her scar to feel the raised skin there. She hadn’t been in the forest for very long, but the pervasive feeling of doubt began to claw from inside her. She couldn’t help the mental hoops her mind jumped through. Everyone else seemed comfortable with the far away howls of Beowolves and the filth that completely caked them. Washing up in the stream just wasn’t the same as a shower, and the once white clothes she donned had sustained stains she knew wouldn’t come out easily.

She was out of her element in almost every single way. Proof that yet again, she was unlike her peers, notably her team. She had to be out of her mind, thinking that she could be a huntress the way she was. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy as Ruby took to nature without any issue at all. If poise could be such a thing with dirt under her nails and the smell of body odor that came expected with a lack of a normal hygienic routine, Weiss had yet to find it.

“Weiss, are you coming?” Ruby called to her.

She was covered in more than just a little dirt. Ruby had her fair share of bruises, a tiny amount of blood trickling from her lip. Glynda ordered the girl to put an end to her training session. The entire affair currently taking place had to be absolute lunacy, and the thought of joining in wasn’t in the least bit appealing.

“I am not rolling around with you on the ground.” Weiss said with a roll of her eyes. She could still hear the rambunctious scuffling taking place in the clearing nearby the shelters they’d built. Behind her, Yang had Nora in a headlock, the two of them grappling for supremacy. Blake was thrashing Jaune with a series of barefooted kicks that left him reeling back into a nearby tree. “That sort of combat is completely uncivilized.”

“Says the girl that can’t even throw a punch.” Yang grunted, tossing herself backward and slamming Nora to the ground. “Even Pyrrha’s getting down and dirty.”

“I wouldn’t call it that.” Pyrrha said, dodging out of the way of Ren’s fist, returning with a flurry of fast jabs of her own. “Though it certainly isn’t regulation.”

“I was under the impression that avoiding regulation was the point.” Ren added as he offered a feint and elbow in return, Pyrrha absorbing the solid hit to make for a grab, wrenching his arm behind his back only to be grabbed by the hair a moment later.

“A stupid one, perhaps.” Weiss allowed in her futile effort to scrub her hands in the running water, giving up when she realized her manicure set would be the only way to save her nails now.

“You think the people we’re going to be up against care about rules?” Nora shot back, already in a pure battle of strength with Yang to see who would tap out first. “Grimm, bandits and people like that fight dirty.”

“I can’t believe you’re letting them do this.” Weiss said to the woman who was supposed to be keeping them out of trouble.

“The decision to train this way was a consensual agreement by all parties involved.” Glynda replied, taking note of the various skirmishes and what looked to be their eventual outcomes. “You are excused, but I see no reason to disallow the training while I can be here to oversee it.”

“Ruby has a bloody lip…”

“So she does. It was a calculated risk.”

“It’s okay Weiss.” Ruby assured, though her words fell on deaf ears. Nothing but pure disapproval radiating from her partner. “We knew what we were getting into. I mean, Yang’s my sister. It’d be pretty dumb if I didn’t expect to get hit a few times. She even went easy on me.”

“I said I was sorry!” Yang said, her own cheek swollen by the force of Nora’s punch.

“That doesn’t change the fact that you drew blood, Yang.” Weiss pointed out.

“Oh, yeah, because the first thing on my mind is wanting to bloody up my own sister…” Yang said sarcastically, her distraction giving Nora the opening she needed to turn the tables and get the upper hand.

“Drawing blood is an expected occurrence, Miss Schnee.” Glynda interrupted before a fight could break out. “This is why we often do not allow training of this nature to persist after aura readings fall down below certain numbers. Risking an aura to be shattered is by no means a safe practice, which is why your partner is now removed from any further combat until that lip of hers is healed and her aura returns to a safe level. The same will be true for anyone at the first sign of injury.”

“I told you guys, I’m totally fine.” Ruby said, her fingers falling atop the tender scab. It hurt a little, but she knew it would get better soon enough. Her aura was too low to heal it completely, resting dormant after her blood had clotted the wound. “Yang’s done way worse than this before when we were kids. She’s a boxer, I’m not. I knew I was going to lose the second I tried.”

“And now look at you.” Weiss said through her own exasperation. “What if a Grimm comes along? You can’t even try to go against it right now.”

“That is why I am here, Miss Schnee.” Glynda told her, safe in the knowledge that she was not the only one in the woods loitering nearby. Winter was still nearby, shrouded among the trees at a distance, and she was not the only one. The black bird perched among the trees and hiding amongst the foliage had to be none other than Raven. With such skilled huntresses keeping watch, Grimm in these parts wouldn’t even make it to the camp before being slaughtered. Even if that hadn’t been the case, Glynda knew her limitations as a huntress. “If I couldn’t combat the Grimm in the Emerald Forest, what sort of huntress would I be?”

The girl let out a huff and found herself leaning up against the same thick tree as Glynda. Ruby became enamored with watching the brawls once more. Torn between cheering Jaune on and warning Blake not to break him, her attention was thoroughly captivated.

“Tell me something. Why did you even agree to this camping trip?” Weiss asked, keeping her voice low so as not to attract unwanted attention.

“It was a reasonable request.” Glynda replied, glancing to the side. Her chin tilting down over slightly. “Why are you so opposed?”

A shrug replaced words, serious blue eyes gazing at her peers. It was a fair question, but she felt no inclination to answer it.

“Do you truly intend to join the Temple Knights?” Glynda asked then. “If you do, you’ll be traveling the woods like this more than you think.”

“Curilla told you about that, I see.” Weiss said as she crossed her arms. “Well, I doubt that comes as a surprise.”

“It isn’t particularly surprising that they’ve attempted to recruit you. However, it is a surprise that you didn’t take them up on that if you intended to join. Given your particular pedigree it wouldn’t be unnatural to join the recruits early.” Glynda noted, that small detail was the surprise. She couldn’t understand why Beacon Academy would be the first choice of a woman seeking a dignified position within such a strict religious order. “The training you received would have likely been more suited to it.”

“I may wish to become a huntress, but that decision has very little to do with faith. I don’t abide by the scriptures. I was raised without them.” Weiss told her. It was no secret among certain circles that the Temple Knights required recruits. For those in search of a noble station, the militaries and private organizations across the kingdoms were the only option. The Temple Knights were the most exclusive in Mistral, and arguably the most dignified order in the world. “If I joined, my father would be elated.”

“A great many would, I imagine.” Glynda said. “Just as many took great pleasure in your sister attending Atlas Academy in her formative years, and the military after. I’m sure that you’d gain quite the name for yourself if you were to join. Particularly if nuptials were to follow.”

“That isn’t likely…”

“So you say, but Curilla certainly seems intent on it.”

“She knows my feelings on the subject.”

“Fair, but she’s still quite keen on it.”

“Insistent as she is, that’s merely the way she sees the world. She’s self-sacrificing in that way, the greater good placed above her own happiness.” Weiss replied. She knew Curilla well enough to know that. “Practicality is hard to argue against, and she chooses not to. We’re a little more than friends, and she sees the potential. Her persuasion is rather endearing, not to mention logical. If anything I’m probably the one being unreasonable…”

“I doubt she feels that way.” Glynda said slowly. “If Curilla thought you were being unreasonable in the slightest, she would state that plainly. We’re friends in some capacity. We do tend to discuss things that don’t revolve around our line of work. I know more than you’d likely want to hear.”

“Likely nothing that isn’t obvious given what you’ve seen already.” Weiss told her. “Curilla doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“No, she doesn’t.” Glynda agreed, Curilla upheld a strict sense of honor. “However, she isn’t deceitful in the slightest either. We’ve both lived long enough to have a few dalliances over the years. The life of a huntress can be quite lonely. This is the first time she’s sought after true companionship.”

“I suppose that’s the right word for it. A companion is something I will always be to her. Beyond that, it is a dalliance of sorts. She knows I have no intention of allowing it to go anywhere legally binding. I’ve thought about joining the Temple Knights, but that’s only a consideration. I haven’t made a decision one way or the other about it yet.”

“Weiss, look at me.” Glynda ordered softly, drawing that gaze to her own. “You should decline, for your own sake.”

“Curilla wouldn’t be happy to know you’ve said that…” It was with a repressed sigh that Weiss shook her head. A cross of her arms and a retort burning at the back of her throat was too difficult to ignore. “You become strangely invested in me at the absolute worst times.”

“Then allow her to be unhappy. It’s only the truth, little more.” Glynda murmured before looking back at the rest of the students. “If I seem to be crossing boundaries, perhaps that’s because I find crossing them to be warranted. The two of us are bound by our affiliations, and that won’t change any time soon. If little else, I have my loyalty to Winter.”

“Did my sister really ask you to bring this up?”

“No, she wouldn’t ask that of me.”

“My sister is quite direct. You’d think if she wanted you to say something to me, she’d inform you.” Weiss said, offering only the slightest insecurity to edge into her words. “I know of the danger. You don’t need to warn me. Huntresses live dangerous lives, I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t invested in that future.”

“Do you enjoy it here in Beacon?”

“You might say that.” Weiss nodded.

“And your team?”

“Does that truly matter that much to you?”

“Let’s just say, I believe fate has a sick sense of humor…” At that, Glynda pulled off her heels and began to drag her thigh high stockings down her long legs. “I would be remiss if I didn’t take a vested interest in my students. Beyond that, I would be a terrible friend to both Curilla and to Winter if I kept silent. As a woman it’s my responsibility to see your needs and development are met. As a huntress, I have my pride. Fighting honorably is not always an option. Come along now, it is time we join the fray.”

“You can’t be serious…”

Glynda raised a brow before placing her fingers to her lips and whistling. “Playtime is over, children. You’ve had your fun, and now it is time to get serious. No aura, no semblances, no weapons. Come at me with the intent to kill. I assure you, you will not succeed.”

* * *

The young ones were tired, sleeping after expending so much energy. Glynda kept watch, knowing that the students needed their sleep after expending so much of their aura and fighting beyond it. She wasn’t sure why she felt compelled to pull the twig from Ruby’s bangs as she slept prone to the nightly chill with little more than her cloak. She couldn’t help but adjust the slipping tarp shielding Weiss back into place, refastening back over the branch she had used. Ren and Nora were sleeping soundly within their shelter, the best built of the group. She didn’t stifle the desire to replace Nora’s weapon back in its resting place at her side.

“Aw, would you look at that? The resident mother hen’s clucking again.” Raven said with quiet humor in her human form, her face concealed beneath her mask.

“I wouldn’t have to cluck if you were around to do the job for me.” Glynda murmured, removing a tiny spider from the tarp Yang laid on, replacing it safely in the grass. “Why are you even here?”

“Why do you think?” Winter asked, her voice so soft it was hardly noticeable.

Glynda rolled her eyes, heading off in the direction of the two women. She took them far enough away that they wouldn’t disrupt the sleeping students. “You’re lucky they’re still novices, you two were hardly being subtle.”

“What concern of that is mine?” Winter asked her plainly, her usually white uniform showcasing grass stains from her time concealed within the foliage. “If anything, I’m saddened Weiss didn’t notice she was being watched. I thought I trained her better than that. I was sure that I did.”

“You cannot expect her to detect aura as a first year student.”

“I feel as though I can, considering the training I gave her.”

“As robust as it was, there are still gaps in her education.” Glynda said, wishing her own attire lacked the same sort of evidence that she had been traipsing around in the woods. Then again, she had to admit at least she looked the part of a huntress. An image often disregarded when she returned to the city. “On top of that she had other distractions, as you clearly saw.”

“Why are you even out here anyway?” Raven asked snidely. “This is child’s play.”

It was then that Glynda scowled at the two of them. Always far more nosey than they had any right to be at a distance. “As if you would understand the complexities of managing students. A little leeway now saves a migraine later. For what little it may be worth to either of you, there is merit in that. Frankly Winter, you should be ashamed of herself. What would Weiss think if she saw you here?”

“Oh please, she would have been thrilled.” Winter scoffed. “She’s my sister first and foremost. We have our differences and disagreements, but this event would hardly be one of them.”

Biting back a retort, she turned her attention to the resident troublemaker among Ozpin’s fold. “And what of yourself, Raven? You’re being too bold, don’t you think?”

“Yang’s too shortsighted to notice me.” Raven said calmly. “More importantly I have every reason to be here. Qrow and I were given our new reconnaissance orders. We fly out within the hour. I’ll be away for a little while.”

At this, Glynda’s expression softened, but the sternness still remained. “Is it merely scouting this time, or did you manage to find something?”

“Scouting.”

“How long will you be gone this time?”

“No telling, to be honest.” At that, Raven rested her hand on her hip, her palm hovering over the dust cartridges at her side. “With you-know-who giving us the slip like this, only hope we’ve got is seeing if we can catch wind of her.”

“If Ozpin thinks she’ll show herself that easily, he’s delusional.” Winter said then. “Meanwhile, Ironwood has his best and finest out on patrol in Atlas. Curilla assures me it’s the same for the Temple Knights in Mistral. Which leaves Vacuo open, as always.”

“If the Ace Ops are already deployed, shouldn’t you be with them?” Glynda asked.

“I had other concerns…”

“Come off it.” Raven said then. “Those little shits aren’t babies, sweetheart.”

“An ethos you should take to heart yourself.” Glynda told Raven then. “Hypocrisy doesn’t suit you.”

“Yang’s different, she’s digging around where she doesn’t belong.” Raven spat. “You watch her close, you hear me? Her and Ruby…”

“Now who’s clucking?” Winter murmured amused.

“Don’t make me bend your tight little ass over my knee.” Raven shot back before sighing. “I have my reasons, you know that.”

“As amusing as that might be, we both know you would never win that fight.” Winter was inclined to call them excuses. Raven had a great many at her disposal. Then again, none of them could deny the skeletons buried deep. “Hiding in plain sight forever will be impossible.”

“She’ll find me when she’s ready, not before. If I made it easier than it already is, there would have been no point in being so careful. My affiliations aren’t the same as Qrow.”

“If you call that caution, I fear to know what you consider reckless.” Glynda told her.

“Look Glyn, I don’t have time for this. Vale’s bandit tribes are headed northbound to help launch an attack. They’ve joined hands with the White Fang, harboring them within the camps for profit. They’ve reached out to my tribes within Mistral to do the same, word from Vernal came yesterday.”

“They haven’t agreed to it, have they?” Glynda asked venomously.

“Don’t be stupid.” The black haired woman groused. “There’s nothing substantial to gain, and I don’t risk net losses. Even if I took them in, they’re not dumb enough to leak their prized information.”

“What’s Sienna playing at anyway?” Winter asked. “Why reach out to the tribes when she knows most of them can’t be trusted?”

“That’s the goddamn question, now isn’t it? I don’t claim to know, but my bets are down to money.” Raven shrugged. “In any case, robberies are going to spike up on the roads, I’d expect them to start climbing in Vale too. At this point, I’d wager that Roman has his hands in the game deeper than we’d like to think. It’s not just dust anymore.”

“We have no proof of that.” Glynda said with a slow roll of her eyes. “His robberies have been strictly in dust so far.”

“The fuck do you think it’s all for? It’s not just smugglings. His intake isn’t going out in equal measure. Last dealing I had with him, I only managed to get four crates of red dust. It wasn't a low ball price, either.” Raven snapped. “He’s stopped selling. If that doesn’t reek of an organized attack, I don’t know what does.”

“We’ll keep watch.” Glynda promised. “We always do.”

“You damn well better or we’ll be knee deep in a shit show before you know it. I’ve got to go, but I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Oz. Yang and Ruby get hurt, and you’re dead meat. Don’t make me live up to that promise.” Raven took off at a run before transforming and taking flight.

“I don’t know how in the world you put up with her…” Glynda said as she watched Raven fly away.

“I don’t.” Winter replied then. “We don’t cross paths enough for that to become an issue. She has a point though, even if I don’t want to admit it. If Weiss wasn’t already exposed, I’d probably be issuing the same sorts of threats.”

“I have a few bones to pick with you about that.”

Winter merely held up her hand placidly. “Save it. It won’t do any good.”

“If she joins the Temple Knights, there’s no way you’re going to keep her away from Ozpin’s fold. She’ll be absorbed into it just like the rest of us, you have to know that.” At that, Glynda grit her teeth. “Curilla is a silver eyed warrior, you know what that means.”

“I know my sister. She’s rebellious as can be, Schnee or not.” Winter replied. “She made it clear when she chose Beacon over Atlas, she has no intention of being coddled by me any further. It’s out of my hands. If she joins the Temple Knights it will be her choice, poorly made but hers alone.”

“If I were you, I’d forbid it. She may listen if you press the issue.”

“If you believe that, you don’t know my sister. I press where I can, but those places are becoming more limited the older she gets. She wants to make her own mistakes, come of them what they may. If I were to try and stifle that, I’d risk having her hate me.” Winter refused to do that. “We can’t all be like Raven.”

At that, Glynda merely sighed in exasperation. “That’s a fact.”

* * *

Sunday was their final day in the woods. The students were tasked to spend the day observing the native forest Grimm without killing them. After a quick meal and tearing down their makeshift shelters the students wandered off on their assignment. They found a pack of Beowolves, and dispersed in teams of two among the trees to observe them, taking notes and sketches of creatures.

“Study them she says… meanwhile they’re tainting up the stupid forest.” Yang complained from her position as her sketch went on only half finished. “The way I see it, we should be killing them, not watching them.”

“Grimm dissipate once they’re killed.” Blake told her. “The only way to understand them is to watch them. It’s not like we can dissect them.”

“What’s there to understand? They’re creatures of Grimm.”

“It’s hard to kill what you don’t understand.” Blake said with a shrug as she turned the page in the notebook, taking logs about the pack. “Where I come from, you’re taught to watch everything, even Grimm.”

“It’s just not my style.” Yang muttered. “I feel a little useless just sitting around. Those Grimm could pose a threat later, but here we are just letting them live. Doesn’t that strike you as a little messed up?”

Blake couldn’t help but side eye the blond. “There are a lot of injustices in this world Yang. Like it or not. If you feel like just sitting here is useless, you have to find a way to make it useful.”

Yang said nothing for a while. Watching Blake sketch a Beowolf pup, marking where adult bone would soon begin to grow in. It was terrifying in some small way. At first, Yang couldn’t even explain why. Then, she slowly began to understand. It was in the way those amber eyes glinted in the sunlight of the early morning, and the darker thoughts that seem to twirl within that mind. Blake had that thoughtful expression more often than not, but Yang found it impossible to breach the carefully constructed wall that housed those emotions.

In a way, she felt a sickening admiration for Blake’s ability to withdraw inside that mind of hers. Was it intentional? That was the real question, and Yang didn’t have the answer for it. Asking Blake didn’t do any good. Every step forward felt hard won against every backward step that was offered when she seemed to strike a nerve unknowingly.

Yang bit her lip, unimpressed with the reality that nothing she did seemed to work to break down that barrier between them. It was infuriating to think she couldn’t be trusted, but she had no idea what the girl beside her had gone through.

Her gut clenched in a way that was altogether mysterious for her. Serious relationships, friendships included, were never her forte. Her friends were a different sort of person by nature. The kind that enjoyed living on the wild side, or getting into trouble. Blake didn’t seem interested in any of that. Placidly spending her time in quiet corners, mostly by herself.

What compelled her to reach out and capture one of those black locks that swayed in the breeze was unknown to her. As she held them gently between two fingers, that single action drew that amber eyed gaze to her. Their eyes meeting made Yang bite back a hiss as though she were burned by the annoyance she found in response. She placed it behind Blake’s ear, thumb only narrowly grazing the ribbon that formed her bow.

“What was that for?” Blake asked uneasily.

“Just…” Yang held up her hands when the words that sprang to mind seemed like they wouldn’t satisfy the girl next to her. “I was making myself useful, I guess.”

“By touching me?”

“Well, your hair was in your eyes so…”

“For future reference, I can manage my own hair.”

“I’m not going to hurt you, ya know.” Yang muttered, agitated with herself and the entire situation.

“I know that.”

“Do you though?”

“To the best of my ability, yes, I know that.”

“I wish it seemed like it.” Yang said tensely. “I don’t know what you want me to do. I try to ease up around you, and I annoy the crap out of you. I try to get serious, and you get all jumpy… I told you I’d wait, I meant it. I don’t want to make you mad at me, but I feel like that’s all I’ve been doing recently. If you want your space I can back off, leave you be. We can draw the line at being combat partners and I swear I won’t bother the shit out of you again, but I can’t keep doing whatever the hell  _ this _ is.”

“We’ve been through this, Yang. You’re not the problem.” Blake told her. Her sketching becoming more violent upon the page. Darker lines taking the place of the lighter ones. She felt useless as a partner. She bit back so many carefully guarded secrets as they bubbled within her. She tried to push them down, feeling like she’d start foaming at the mouth every moment she kept trying. The only thing she could say was the same tired excuse. “It’s not you, it’s me. It sounds like a cop-out when I say it, but it’s the truth.”

Yang returned to her own notebook at that, and Blake could only bitterly accept that reaction for what it was. Justified, if nothing else.

* * *

All morning Weiss could hear her scroll chime with news reports about White Fang members launching an attack on another Schnee Dust Company train. This one taking place in Atlas. The perpetrators had been caught, live updates coming from the military right to the SDC about their plans for punishment. Weiss felt sick as more people were to be surrendered to the company. She knew what it meant. Outwardly, they’d be sentenced to life in prison. Beneath that, there was a darker truth.

Several lives were taken in the attack, countless more were injured. The penalty for that sort of crime wasn’t something to take lightly. Life in prison awaited them now. In the media, most would never truly know the meaning of that sentence. Weiss knew all too well. They’d be sent to one of the SDC prison mines in chains, living a life of servitude with no hope of a better life offered to them.

It was a story in the archives of her family history. When slavery was forcefully abolished, the SDC looked for other ways to line their pockets. While the desperately poor population were their foremost search for employees, they required a living wage and minimal health benefits. Those the lowest on the employee list were given just enough to get by. Prisoners did not require such care or compassion given to them. The company wouldn’t be the leading dust distributor without other avenues as well. Working with the military provided what the slave trade once did.

Human or Faunus, it didn’t matter. Prisoners were cheap and easy labor to acquire. Especially those with no chance of parole. They’d be sent to the most dangerous locations, likely living a short life while balancing the odds against a long protracted death. Capitulation would be their only option. Failure to do that would promise a swift death in front of the firing squad. She hated that aspect of the company.

Sordid business practices aside, Weiss saw no value in using prisoners as a means of profit. The company could, and should have, stood proudly without such despicable ideologies.

Once in her life, knowing that the bad people were sent away provided comfort. She slept easier back then. Offered solace whenever her father promised that the bad people would never threaten their family again. In the wake of countless funerals, he had often soothed her that way. She could remember it so well. Sitting in her father’s lap while trying to understand the concept of death. The idea that bad people disappeared dulled the ache whenever she would find herself crying into his chest. When her countless aunts and uncles by affiliation passed away, she wanted nothing more than for all of the bad people to simply disappear.

It was only when she grew older that those people had a name. On her sixteenth birthday, her father had given her a special gift. Access to some of the deepest records in the company. It was then that she could see the pattern. She could follow some of the reports. Not all of them, but enough to know of the dangers hidden within the White Fang. She knew her father allowed her access to these reports for the same reason as his statements long ago. It was meant to soothe the ache of loss and comfort the fears she had. Every White Fang member captured and sent away was one less member to haunt her dreams and claw at her deepest fears.

Knowing the truth, it wasn’t the comfort it used to be.

Out of every prisoner that was processed into the system, only a small handful would ever receive a fair trial. Most would die waiting for that day. Innocent family members would be given no government aid. If they didn’t have the finances to sustain themselves, there was only one other option. Most would end up taking it, being sent to less dangerous mining communities where shelter, food, and minimum wages promised that most would never be able to leave the system. Those that got lucky might one day earn enough to move to Mantle, but that life was by no means easy, either.

Another small chime, another prisoner convicted of murder processed through the system. Another family at risk to lose everything they had ever come to know. It sickened her.

“Hey, Weiss you’re making that face again.” Ruby said, looking up from her one notebook as she saw Weiss glaring daggers down at her scroll.

“What face?” Weiss asked snappishly.

“The mean one.” Ruby said in return, regretting saying anything at all.

Weiss forced out a sigh. If looks could kill, Ruby likely would have been dead several times over, and she had no reason to understand why. This wasn’t Ruby’s doing. The girl had no idea. No one did. “It’s not you, Ruby.” Weiss told her darkly. “I’m just having a bad day.”

“Oh… I’m sorry about that…”

“Don’t make apologizes for things that you didn’t do.” Weiss bit out. “It’s a sign of weakness.”

“Oh…” Ruby didn’t believe that, but she wouldn’t argue the point. She knew that sort of look. Yang had it plastered across her face at times. Whatever had caused that unmitigated fury in the first place, she felt that she wouldn’t be able to fix it. That was a powerless feeling. She tried to ignore the way that old memories reminded her of that. How many times had Yang pat her on the head as a little girl, forcing a smile through the rage, telling her not to worry?

Those countless moments added up, but she couldn’t be that little girl anymore. Contented with what little she was given because she was simply asked to accept it. Torn between pressing the matter and dropping it entirely, she went back to the one thing she thought herself an expert in. The Grimm in front of her, the wilds they were sitting in. Those were simple things to her, they made sense when so many other things just didn’t.

Weiss was not like Yang, and that infuriated look remained. Weiss had no desire to placate her, and showed no intention of doing so. Ruby didn’t know if she should be thankful or worried. If Weiss chose to be that way out of respect for her intelligence, or just without a care for her feelings at all. Either way, it didn’t truly matter. The resulting confusion was the same.

“Weiss…?”

“What do you want?”

“I just…” Ruby sighed to herself then. “I’m here if you want to talk.”

A crack in Ruby’s voice was the first sign of trauma. When those blue eyes looked back at Ruby once more, fear was in that gunmetal expression. She couldn’t even find herself to be surprised by that. Instead she sank into the empty feeling it provided. The way of a Schnee was intimidating, meant to be. Anger itself was something that ran long and deep in the blood. They all had a temper, long lasting and vitriolic when lit to the core. Habitually her father, her sister, and herself, showed profound displays of emotional disregard the moment it sparked to life. Her brother was learning to be the same. For those who didn’t understand that mentality, it was likely terrifying.

“Stop that.” Weiss ordered under her breath when she could look at Ruby no longer. Guilty feelings tempering and smattering out the storm waging within her. “It’s not your concern. You have no reason to worry about me, end of discussion.”

“But-”

“No.” Weiss said sternly. If Ruby knew about this, it would break her. There was no doubt in that. “Enough now.”

* * *

Gathering together for lunch, Weiss was in an absolutely foul mood, choosing to eat by herself and giving the impression that any sort of company would not be welcome. Blake sat closer to the group. She kept her distance from Yang, choosing to stay a bit more isolated as she sat on Ruby’s left side. The blonde had only managed to confuse her, the feeling of those soft fingertips brushing against her bow had been too close for comfort.

“So, Weiss looks exceptionally pissy today. What crawled up her ass and died?” Yang asked from Ruby’s right as she snacked on a few berries from the nearby plant when the meager portion of stew failed to fill her belly entirely.

“She said she’s having a bad day.” Ruby told her. “She wouldn’t tell me why.”

“Well, it’s probably nothing then.” Yang said mostly unconcerned as she attempted not to dwell too deeply on her own partner’s stern gaze that continued to burn into the image she was drawing. “Everyone has a bad day every now and then.”

“I don’t think it’s like that…”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. Remember that night she went someplace and came back late?”

“What about it?”

“Ever since then, something’s off. It just doesn’t feel right.” Ruby said then. “Like something happened…”

“Right…” Yang sighed, fluffing at her messy head of blond hair, cursing under her breath when her fingers got tangled in the long golden locks. “Uh… well, I guess there’s no way around it. You see, it’s like this… Umm, you know when Dad used to go out at night sometimes. Sooner or later he’d stop and be in a bad mood for a few days after that?”

“Yeah, he was always really down about stuff.” Ruby murmured, plucking at the grass by her feet.

“Well, it’s probably like that for Weiss right now…”

“But didn’t that only happen when girls broke up with him?”

“You knew about that!?”

“Well, yeah Yang. It’s kind of hard not to notice. It’s more than a little weird when your Dad goes out bowling with ‘the guys’ and comes home smelling like perfume.” Ruby said, looking at her older sister dryly. “I know I’m bad with people, but that wasn’t hard to figure out.”

“Great, so firstly never tell him that…”

“Why was it such a big secret anyway?”

“Ruby... Sis… Use that little noggin of yours. If he wasn’t bowling, what do you think he was doing with those girlfriends?”

Unfortunately for Ruby, the hint eventually dropped. “He was…. With… Oh… Oh gross! Why?!”

“Why do you think?”

“I could have gone my whole life never thinking about that…”

“Yep…” Yang agreed. “That’s why he didn’t tell us. None of them lasted long enough where he ever needed too, probably. He likes to think we were too young to understand where he was going back then. Let him have that, okay? We don’t need to break his brain too.”

“It’s bad enough I just broke mine.” Ruby said as her palms came up to her eyes. “Ugh, I don’t even want to bring it up… but what’s that got to do with Weiss? She was at some sort of formal thing for rich people…”

“Was she, or was that just what she let you think she was doing?” Yang asked her sibling as she looked over at Weiss. She couldn’t help wondering just how much she could explain without giving Ruby the one thing she promised to keep under wraps. The girl’s sexuality wasn’t her business to spread around. “I know Dad taught us to overshare the crap out of our lives, but not everyone wants to do that. Sometimes we keep things to ourselves. Just, try to let her work it out on her own.”

“But Yang, something’s really wrong.”

“Okay, okay, stop harping on me. I hear you… I’ll have a talk with her later and see if I can get her to talk.” The blonde sighed. “But, I’m not doing it right now. I’m going to give her a bit more time first.”

* * *

As the afternoon sun began to fade, the camping trip came to an end and they made their way back to Beacon. Glynda and Ruby walked several paces behind the rest of the group. As a professor, Glynda found one final task that needed to be done. It was not something she found easy to contend with, either. Having the young huntress-in-training at her side, allowing herself to obverse the students as she had, her conclusion was the same as before the trip began.

Ultimately, Ruby was an enigma. Choosing to sleep in less than ideal locations and finding food in less than desirable ways. While she was likely the most qualified to survive in her chosen manner, it was a far cry from the expectations Glynda had of the girl. Her skills were fine, not lacking in any grievous way. Yet, Ruby also chose the most difficult ways to find sustenance and protect herself from wilds. She had never once used the purification tablets, killed for a meal, or sheltered herself from the mild elements.

Her methods were more advanced than that. Yet, her logic for those methods came down to simply refusing the tried and true ways presented to her. While it was true that Weiss was the least capable of the group by far, she was moldable, trainable, in ways that Ruby would not be. Glynda couldn’t ignore that. This girl was used to Qrow. He’d broken her naivety down, but failed to build those foundations back into some recognizable form suiting a young huntress-in-training.

Instead, she acted like a fully-fledged huntress might, with all of the biases that came along with it. There was only one problem with that. Ruby was too young, lacking the experience to fully understand the weight of those choices. Too far ahead of her time for her own safety, and functionally stunting her further growth because of it. Teaching the inexperienced was one thing, breaking bad habits was the harder thing to do.

Trying to explain that to the girl had proven difficult.

“Is the way my uncle does things really that bad?” Ruby had asked in the face of Glynda’s critiques.

“It isn’t a question of methodology. It’s a question of why you draw those conclusions.” Glynda said as Raven’s words echoed in her mind. Watching over Ruby would prove difficult if the girl insisted on acting anything like her uncle. “You must understand, your uncle is a seasoned huntsman. His ways are not always the right way.”

“But that means they’re not always wrong, either…”

“That’s debatable by many.” Glynda replied. “Miss Rose, when you first came to me suggesting this, you expressed a direct concern for your partner. I have to admit, I thought I would discover several lapses within her training. Her inexperience is obvious, but, frankly it suits what can often be expected from students of a certain social class. I do not see the issue with her current progression. However, I have come to discover that your progression should concern me far more than I ever thought to consider.”

“Am I really that bad?”

“Some may be inclined to call you a prodigy, but I don’t believe that to be true. I think it would be more fitting to say that you have simply spent too much time mimicking what you see adults doing. That might serve you well now as a student, but it will not serve you as a licensed huntress. You will eventually come across an experience that your training cannot account for. If you spend your time mimicking those around you, you will never acquire the skills that cannot be taught.”

“But, he taught me everything I know…”

“Yes, that’s quite clear to me.”

“Well, how do I fix it?”

“That is not something I can train you to do.” Glynda said slowly. “It isn’t a manner of training you. It’s a matter of perspective.”

“I don’t get it…”

Glynda couldn’t help but smirk at that. “Your time at this academy will be best utilized by slowing down and progressing with the rest of your peers in time. Still, you should be aware of your biases, and call them into question when you can. You’re too young to be set in your ways, Miss Rose.”

Ruby cocked her head to the side. “Even if it works?”

“Especially if the method works.” Glynda agreed. “If I were you, I would seek to expand upon your current practices. Your training as a huntress has far surpassed your peers in some ways. If you continue on that way, you will lose the greatest asset a huntress can achieve.”

“What’s that?”

“If you apply yourself diligently, you’ll figure that out on your own.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you next chapter when Tucson issues a warning Blake can't ignore, and Weiss says a few things she will come to regret. 
> 
> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 6/24/2020.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep it's been awhile, here's the next chapter...
> 
> Family are still up here to visit, they haven't gone home yet. Updates won't normalize until they do.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XXXXI**

Spending the weekend in the woods had given Weiss time to think. With certain SDC information at her fingertips and little else to do, she found herself paying more attention than usual to the smaller details. Her father’s words echoed in her mind.

It was common place ignorance among the masses. Or, at least, that was the rhetoric her father used to describe the dealings of the White Fang. He couldn’t help but be disgusted by the humans who sympathized with Faunus. His ethos was well known, but rarely discussed at length. Keeping a polite tongue in his mouth about the matter was something he only practiced at social events. Within the confines of his office he was a different sort of man. Flawed ideology was like gasoline waiting to be ignited.

She couldn’t help but feel a similar, yet conflicted ire towards the Faunus population. On the one hand, she understood the need for conflict. The necessity to change the world around them. At the same time, old wounds cut deep. She would never forgive the White Fang for their senseless violence. A small and separate anger burned entirely, fueled by her father’s continual misdeeds and mishandling of the Schnee Dust Company. It was a far cry of what her grandfather would have wanted.

While her grandfather had never been a friend to the Faunus, he had never gone directly out of his way to make their lives miserable either. He had considered it beneath him to be particularly cruel to anyone of lesser means. Faunus or human, that didn’t matter. Those willing to buy his goods took precedence in his mind over those that didn’t. Money was the way of the world, and he believed all money was good.

That was a mindset he had passed onto his grandchildren. She had absorbed his educational mumblings as a child with no reason to think beyond them. Now, she knew she had to grow beyond it. Not all monetary incentives were created equal. Pinching profits could only reach a certain limit before the cost was paid in other ways. At the end of the day, questionable business practices were merely a kind way of describing abuse in all forms.

Abuse of people, power, money, and more.

Her father had taken an aging man’s ethos and had contorted it to all new extremes. He twisted those simple prevailing logics and removed any thought of empathy. He callously disregarded the heart and soul of the man behind the company, the one thing that separated men from monsters. In doing that one simple act, the Schnee Dust Company had lost its intrinsic power to empower the populous. The one thing her grandfather had set out to do. She couldn’t help but feel angry at that with every passing prisoner that entered into the database.

The end of the camping trip and the long walk back only further served to agitate her. Escaping the Beacon Academy quarantine and sent away with essays to complete within the week, the two tired teams retired to their rooms. Everyone except for Weiss. She slunk away to the library, her nose buried in her books. Studying was not only an expectation, it was a distraction she sorely needed. In that way, she knew she was not unlike the Schnee patriarch. Drowning herself in hard and unswayable fact was simply easier than navigating complex social issues. Winter had always been the one to excel at understanding and empathizing with the greater world.

Weiss wished she could be the same, but she knew she wasn’t immune to propaganda. Unlike her sister, she struggled to find the balance to run the Schnee Dust Company effectively. She had a long list of changes she wanted to implement once her time came, but she had no idea how to go about it. She had thought that becoming a huntress would bring a keener perspective. That she would find some sort of clarity beneath all of the topics that confused her so greatly.

As it stood, none of it had come to her in the way she had hoped. The burning hatred of the White Fang remained, their reason for violence seemed like a lost cause. She saw no value in the attacks or the murders. If anything, she had only grown to hate them even more. That foul mood hampered her studying, snuffing out any sort of progress she made. The coffee cup placed in front of her drew her attention to the blonde that towered overhead.

Yang’s casual expression contrasted sharply with the dim corner of the library that Weiss had found for herself.

“You’re a hard person to find.” Yang said to her, pulling out a chair at the small table to sit down. “I figured you’d be in the usual spot.”

“Those were all taken by the time I got here.” Weiss said, clinging to that convenient excuse. Most of the tables had been taken up, but even if they had been empty she would have sought a more secluded spot anyway. “I figured you’d be asleep by now.”

“Me? Nah, I’m tired, but not  _ that _ kind of tired...” Yang said, sitting in her chair and fidgeting with an already crumpled piece of paper. “So, are you catching up on work then?”

“You have all the grace of a battering ram, Yang.” Weiss sighed at length. “We both know you aren’t here to ask about bookwork, no matter how much that might actually be a good idea.”

“Hey, at least I was trying to be subtle.”

“It doesn’t quite suit you.”

“Look, Ruby’s worried, alright?” Yang grumbled then. “I won’t lie, I’m better at punching things then talking but…well here I am.”

“I should have known Ruby would sic you on me.” Weiss said under her breath as she closed the book in front of her. “While the coffee is appreciated, a talk is not.”

“Yeah, I get that. It’s not really our style to leave things be. You’ve been walking around with a pissed off look on your face for a while now.” At that, Yang turned a bit more serious as she leaned over on the table, her voice low. “Did you have a bad date? Is that what this is about?”

“Is that what you believe?”

“Crappy dates make for a crappy mood.” Yang said with a shrug. “I’ve been there, done that. I know how it goes.”

“My date was everything I could expect it to be.” Weiss said quietly. “It has nothing to do with that. It’s a family related issue, and I’d rather you didn’t pry.”

“You’ve gotta give me something. Level with me a little here.” Yang finally told her. “I know the saying goes; if you give an inch then people take a mile, but I’d like to think Ruby and I are better than that. Just… you know… surface level stuff. That should be enough to get Ruby to loosen up.”

“Somehow, doubt that.”

“You doubt a lot of things…”

“Fine then, I’ll tell you the same thing I told Ruby. I’m a Schnee, and that matters. What she doesn’t seem to understand, is that most of my life takes place in the public sphere. If you want a surface level explanation of what bothers me, the tabloids will serve you just as well.”

“Bullshit.” Yang said with a smirk. “You’re not the rag magazines, Weiss. Makes for good reading, but I wouldn’t think they could tell me more than you could. I can tell you don’t want to talk about it, so I’ll leave you alone. Just, you know… try to relax a little. If you keep acting like this, Ruby’s not the only one who’ll end up getting edgy.”

When Yang got up to leave, Weiss attempted to bury herself back into studying. She just couldn’t bring herself to concentrate. With the flavor of warm coffee on her tongue and an inexplicable restlessness nestled beneath exhaustion, Weiss picked up her things and headed to Curilla’s airship. There she took a small comfort in watching Curilla muddle through extensive reports from within the confines of her office.

Although the girl had no idea what they contained, she was sure that the reports were no small matter. She found herself smirking as she leaned idly on the wall across from Curilla. Her realization filled with dark humor. “When did things like this become so normal to me?” Weiss murmured softly.

“Pardon?” Curilla asked.

“Most people compare me to my father, but I’m starting to wonder if it’s not my mother that I take after most.” Weiss said then. “It occurs to me that this is exactly what he wants for me to be accustomed to. Watching my future spouse hard at work while I become the perfect little woman. Comical, isn’t it?”

Curilla replied, dipping her fountain pen into the small vial of ink by her side and signing her name at the bottom of a document. “I hardly see the humor.”

“It would be so easy.” Weiss said to her. “If only I would just capitulate.”

“That has never been in your nature.” Curilla told her. “I have heard the stories you know.”

“I’m sure Winter told you many things.” Weiss sighed. “Like mother, she talks when she drinks.”

“Klein talks of it too. A stubborn little girl up well beyond her bedtime sneaking and raising hell with the governess. You only seemed to truly obey Klein when it came to the staff. As Winter tells it, your father eventually gave up turning you into a proper young lady. Much like he did with your sister before you. It’s why he allowed you to take up swordplay and began refining your education. If he couldn’t turn you into a noblewoman, he could at least mold you into his heir. With that in mind, how could anyone expect otherwise?”

A sound question deserved a sound answer, but Weiss simply didn’t have one. “Just how many of my old habits have to die before I can stand a chance as anything besides a mere socialite?”

“Countless, I’d assume.”

“Why is it that I can hardly handle a few nights in the woods. However, I can do something like this as though it’s second nature?” Weiss said then with a soft shake of her head. “It might seem like a trite thing to you, but I can’t stop thinking that I’m only in Beacon Academy because he’s amusing my childish whims.”

“If that’s the case, that’s his problem. It’s not yours. There is nothing childish about becoming a huntress.” Curilla replied gently. “It isn’t an easy life. I’d be far more worried about you if you did find it easy. It would mean you haven’t completely devoted yourself to your training.”

While that might have been true, it provided little comfort.

Curilla’s personal attendant brought refreshments before becoming scarce someplace else within the ship. Slipping into the small pleasantries and conversations regarding political intrigue were comfortable things for Weiss. It was the world she had known since birth. Speaking of the upcoming council elections in Atlas came with firm knowledge of each candidate. Drifting to the complexities of the Temple Knights was a bit harder to keep up with, but Weiss found the topic interesting as the challenge to keep up with Curilla proved gratifying.

“Just how many from the academies apply?” Weiss asked when Curilla moved onto a new stack of entry forms.

“A surprising number of nobility hope for a place among us.” Curilla murmured, her eyes firmly planted on the first stapled form of documents. “Sadly, most of them aren’t even within consideration.” As if to punctuate the statement she removed the staple and deposited the paperwork into the shredder. “Most don’t have the valor to hold such an esteemed role. Some of the ones that do simply don’t have the mentality to uphold the old traditions.”

“Some would say the old ways have already died out.” Weiss told her. “Personally, I think a little advancement couldn’t hurt.”

“Is that so?” Curilla murmured with only a hint of amusement. “If you knew what I knew, I doubt you’d believe that.”

“Time would have to tell, I’d imagine.” Weiss offered graciously. “If I were to join the Temple Knights, I like to think I’d be willing to offer a few improvements. Your ship, for example, is a model from over ten years ago. It could do with a reasonable upgrade.”

“It doesn’t need an upgrade, it does exactly as I need it to. The rest is all modern day bells and whistles.”

“Your navigation systems are several years out of date.”

“And yet, if I were to give you an old fashioned compass and a hand drawn map, you’d probably have no idea how to use them.” Curilla laughed. “Beacon Academy will train you extensively, I assure you.”

“I don’t understand why you cling to the old ways so much.”

“Common day comforts are quite nice, but I find they produce lazy warriors.” Curilla went on to say. “The reason the Temple Knights are so highly regarded happens to be because we have trained in ways that don’t require modern equipment. We travel to the most remote reaches on Remnant. Spend time with a huntsman who knows what dangers are truly out there, and he’d laugh in the face of any modern day scroll. They’re useless once you travel beyond the reaches of your family’s beloved CCT towers. It’s no more than an expensive paper weight. The places I travel, a rock would do the same. Actually, a rock would arguably be more useful. At least I could fashion a weapon from that if I must.”

“Yet, most of your ideology comes from the religious texts. I don’t see how any of them could really be true.” Weiss said. “I’ve picked up the scriptures from time to time. They’re just bedtime stories cultivated by god fearing men and women, little more.”

“A common belief, but the proof is out there.” Curilla said as she placed those pages aside to stand and gaze up at the tall bookshelf behind her. She plucked one of the thick leather-bound tomes from its place. “It isn’t common to hand out the journals of our forebears to just anyone, but I expect great things from you. Every knight is expected to keep a journal to pass onto the next generation. We save all of them, but most prove worthless. However, a select few prove interesting. I’d encourage you to read this one.”

Weiss was hesitant to take it. “Reading a person’s confidential thoughts seems like an invasion of privacy, don’t you think?”

“This person has long since died.” Curilla replied, placing the book down onto the desk. “You may as well consider it an archive of history. If you join the Temple Knights, you’ll be expected to devote yourself to reading as many of these journals as possible. If little else, you’ll gain an appreciation for your place in this world.”

“Breaking the rules?”

“That one belonged to your grandfather, written in his days before founding the SDC. Back in his day, most educated men kept journals.” Curilla stated primly. “There is nothing within that book that would qualify as clandestine, but even if there were to be, as his ancestor you have rights to it. Before the SDC, dust was a difficult thing to acquire. Like many men of the time, he was a competent swordsman. He recounts his experiences in combat against Grimm in an era when the methods that have now become standard were in short supply. Read it for yourself, you’ll see.”

“Perhaps later.” Weiss murmured then. “I don’t think I have it in me right now.”

At this, Curilla merely sighed as she began locking away her materials. She wasn’t the kindest woman on the planet, often regarded as ruthless in the face of dishonorable adversaries. Her status among the Temple Knights demanded a certain level of commitment to a vast many responsibilities. All of them of grave importance. Still, she would not have sought a spouse if she felt ill prepared to rise to other responsibilities as well.

She could have gone on with her work, and Weiss wouldn’t have offered a single complaint. The girl had a firm head on her shoulders. She wouldn’t try to disrupt the importance of daily proceedings. While Curilla found that aspect valuable, to go on allowing Weiss to stew in the confines of her own mind would be inexcusable. “Intellectually inclined people have an obligation to become enlightened. They must forge a better path for those who are dimwitted and don’t know any better. However, the problems you face won’t be solved overnight. It doesn’t do you any good to rush headlong into solutions.”

“I have to do something.”

“You need to rest. Take your mind off of the greater world. A proper distraction is in order.” Curilla told her simply. “What manner we go about that is entirely up to you. However, it has become clear to me that it won’t be found within the confines of this room. Perhaps we should walk the gardens?”

“I really have no mood to be gawked at right now.” Weiss told her. “Being seen with you would raise quite a few questions if my friends were to see us together.”

“A movie then? You know I have quite the extensive collection.” Curilla offered. “Unless you’d rather be taken to bed?”

“You have work to finish.” Weiss said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m also without protection, and you don’t tend to keep it.”

“A movie it is then.” Curilla replied. “Any work you may have, and mine for that matter, is no longer a concern for the rest of the night. It will keep until tomorrow, all of it.”

* * *

With the White Fang once again making front page news the next day, word had finally reached the paparazzi in Vale. Morning newspapers were covered with radical headlines and blurry images of the SDC train that had been attacked. The buzzing morning gossip had been filled with murmurs of the White Fang. Amid breakfast’s dark implications, Blake received a call telling her to meet up at the bookshop.

She left in the evening after class. An excuse that she needed to run errands sufficed as her teammates told her to have a good evening. Tukson waited for her in the alleyway behind the bookshop. It was infrequently used by most humans, but Faunus often passed by to get out of the crowds during busy days. With shop owners decorating their front windows and placing sale advertisements around in preparation for the Vytal Festival. Even the grumpiest passer by seemed pleasant.

Blake wished she could say the same for the man in front of her.

“Go home, Blake.” The three words flew out of his mouth instead of his usual greeting. Everything about him spoke of his severity. His scent was heavy in the air, full of authority. His stance was the same, arms crossed in front of him. The stance leaving little doubt as to his intentions. He looked to be every bit of the White Fang commander that he formerly used to be. She had to force herself not to salute him, the old habit dying hard as her hand twitched at her side.

“I’m not going back to Menagerie.” Blake said in response, her own shoulders squaring off and her head held high.

“The White Fang are collecting around Vale. Their numbers are growing. It’s not safe for you here.” Tukson said to her, his low voice deepening as though that might provoke the reaction he was hoping for. “You’re a deserter. You left dishonorably, you know what that means. You have to go home while you can.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“You have to.”

“No, I don’t.” Blake bit out, her scent changing along with his. Mutual respect kept them rooted, but they both reeked of annoyance and animosity as a war of ideals waged.

“This is no time to act like a petulant child.” Tukson rebuked hotly. “Staying here only proves that you’re too stubborn to do the right thing for the people you care about. That’s a selfish thing.”

“I’m not going to turn tail and run away like a coward.” The urge to stand her ground was an odd thing when facing down such a large male Faunus. In the back of her mind, logic urged her to shut up and take the order. Her instinct as an alpha Faunus promised she would win if it came down to a power struggle. Insane as both notions were, direct conflicts inherently, Blake’s old urge to run away returned as well. It was easier to run than pick a side. Logic or instinct, as a Faunus she had to choose. She hated it. “I’ve been running away my whole life, I can’t do it again.”

Tukson growled then, baring his teeth as he spoke. “Beacon Academy cannot protect you. I can’t do anything to keep you safe. The only Faunus on this planet that has that sort of pull with Sienna is your father. He’s the only one.”

“I’m a Belladonna too. I served my time. I stayed loyal even after my parents left.” Blake said to him, her own teeth showing in reply. She wasn’t going to let go of the one good thing that happened to her. She wouldn’t leave Beacon Academy. “That has to mean something. All of those years of service, you can’t say they were for nothing.”

“Who you used to be to them doesn’t matter now.” Tukson sighed out. “It doesn’t matter your deeds, or the time you served. It all means nothing once you leave the White Fang in the manner that you did. You abandoned a teammate on a mission. You’ve betrayed the White Fang. The difference between us and your father is that he stepped down honorably in front of his peers and followers. You ran away, just like I did… It’s different, Blake.”

“It’s only different because extremists are on the fringes of the organization. Sienna can be reasoned with, but if I drop out now, I let go of one of the best chances I have to be a huntress.” Blake told him. “I can’t give that up. I can’t look my parents in the eye and tell them everything I’ve done and have nothing to show for it.”

“You’re delusional.” Tukson bit out. “Sienna doesn’t turn the other cheek to just anyone. She’ll have you jailed for a deed your father would have to repay. There’s no telling what she might ask of him, and that’s only if someone with mercy finds you first.”

“I know, but most of the factions in the White Fang aren’t cold blooded killers. You’re right that I’ll be sent to Sienna, but I can make my case. She’s not completely unreasonable.”

“If you believe that, you truly are lost. She is the High Leader of the White Fang, and she hands down that authority to people who have tarnished the good name of what the White Fang used to be. Make no mistake, she’s to blame.” Tukson shot back. “Adam is a prime example of her ideologies taken too far. If what you told me is true, he’s turned into a real killer.”

“He’s not that far gone.” Blake protested. “I’m sure he could be reasoned with if it came from a higher up.”

“I don’t believe that…”

“Then what do you believe?”

Perhaps it was simply youthful naivety or some lingering bonds that Blake held onto from her old life. Either way, Tukson knew loyalty ran deep among the brothers and sisters of the White Fang. They called themselves family, but he knew the truth. Faunus were not human, could never be human. Instinct ran too deep for that. “There’s a difference Blake. Taking a life for a greater purpose, and murdering senselessly are two separate things. Self-defense is one thing, but you told me he planned to kill everyone on your last mission with him. Was that a lie?”

“No.” Blake said, her expression wilting. Had the bow not concealed her ears, they would have shown clearly as lying flat on her head. “I wasn’t lying to you.”

“Then know this, anyone with that kind of bloodlust isn’t redeemable. I say this as a man with blood on my own hands, the moment you enjoy doing something like that, you can no longer be considered a person. People like that, they’re only monsters. No matter how you look at it, the White Fang have become violent, and those aren’t the sort of people you need to cross paths with. Go home while you can, if not for your own sake do it for your parents. They’d want you safe no matter what.”

* * *

The warning echoed in her mind, but the Beacon Academy campus was alight with excitement. Most of the students would be arriving by the weekend. Some would arrive by sea, and others by air. As a slow trickle of airships began docking, the fastest arrivals made themselves comfortable. The fairgrounds already setting up rides and attractions. Most of the hotels were booked solid, and more huntsmen began to trickle into the academy grounds in search of their own accommodations.

The rest of her team had found themselves a shaded tree to sit under as they watched the new arrivals being greeted by upperclassmen. Ruby was bright-eyed with excitement, watching all of the fully equipped students from other academies unloading their equipment. Yang and Weiss were more reserved in their interest, the shortest among them resting on a folded up blanket.

“What are you guys doing?” Blake asked while approaching them.

“Just checking out the competition.” Yang told her, sliding her aviators down her nose. “Weiss thought it might be a good idea to scope out the competition.”

“I told you before, if you want to do that, you’ll want to wait it out and spy on the training rooms.” Coco told them. “Not that you have anything to worry about. First year teams usually get knocked out during primary rounds. They don’t televise the early fights, there’s too many contenders for that since it’s open to everyone.”

“We’ll just see about that.” Weiss said with a roll of her eyes. “I have no intention of losing.”

“Either way, you newbies are in for a real treat. It’s customary to stress test the barriers before the official matches begin.” Coco laughed. “Last year Oobleck and Goodwitch stepped into the ring, it was one hell of a fight.”

“I can wait to see something like that.” Yang said, letting out a low whistle as she watched the students. “Wow. They’re armed to the teeth.”

“They’re fourth years from Atlas.” Coco said idly from behind her. “They won’t be messing around.”

“They don’t look like students to me.” Yang said. “They’re in full uniform.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” Ruby said under her breath. “Why do they all have handguns along with their mission gear?”

“That’s standard issue attire.” Weiss explained. “If I had to guess, they’re being prepped for military service. You can enlist in your last year at the academy, although you won’t be in service until after you graduate.”

“Would you have done that, Yang?” Ruby asked, looking towards her sister. “Atlas Academy was your first choice, was that why?”

“Ha, no way. I just wanted to go there to get out from Dad’s thumb and see a bit of the world while I was at it. I never would have joined into the military.”

“I didn’t realize that Atlas Academy would be your first choice, Yang.” Weiss said, more than a little surprised. “I never would have thought you’d search for such a stringent school.”

Yang just shrugged. “I may not be a total gearhead like Ruby, but the tech has always interested me. I figured I’d be able to double certify as a fallback plan. I wanted to keep my options open. Then I heard about the long hours in the research and development labs and scrapped that plan real fast.”

“Is that really such a surprise?” Blake chipped out. “They’re owned by the Schnee Dust Company. Working employees to the bone is par for the course.”

“What an idiotic thing to say.” Weiss complained, her blue eyes focusing on the woman in question. The glare Blake earned was little more than ice cold and filled with bitterness. “I’ll have you know that wherever that information came from, it’s wrong. Our scientists are some of the most well respected and highest paid professionals on the face of Remnant.”

“They also have some of the most dangerous jobs on the face of Remnant.” Blake muttered unhappily. “You can’t just argue that throwing money in their face solves the inherent dangers of working with dust. Your family’s workplace protocols are complete garbage. That’s just common sense for anyone who looks at the handbook.”

“Which is why the pay is commiserate.” Weiss sighed at length. “Dust in any form comes with its fair share of dangers. Technological advancement comes with a price, that’s just the way it is. Our scientists know that, they devote their entire lives to it.”

“If that’s true, why is there such a large wage disparity between your Faunus employees and your human ones?”

“That isn’t something I can speak to, Blake.”

“Oh, why’s that? It’s very well known that Faunus scientists in your labs are paid less than half of what humans make. Don’t you think that’s an issue?”

“Maybe, but even if it is, that’s not anything I can control.” Weiss snapped.

“But you condone it.” Blake bit out.

“I’m only the heiress.” Weiss replied, the words themselves a double edged sword. “That power means nothing with my father at the helm. What I think doesn’t matter.”

“If you started speaking out, people would be forced to listen to the real atrocities.” Blake insisted. “You hold the advantage that countless people need in your hands!”

“At the expense of the only thing I’ve ever given a damn about.” Weiss chipped out. “I have my own plans to worry about. I don’t have time to start petty disputes and risk my family’s reputation over a few wage disparities right now.”

“It doesn’t rightly matter anyway.” Coco cut in. “Even if you could change things, the problem isn’t just the SDC, it’s the whole damn kingdom. The public opinion would need to change drastically, and it’s just not happening.”

“You can say that again.” Blake muttered unhappily. “I’m going to go back to the dorm.”

Weiss watched Blake leave, a single question slipping from her lips before she could stop it. “What’s gotten into her?”

* * *

Guest speakers helped to breathe new life on the usual lessons and lectures that took up most of the learning day. The stadium seating began to fill up more than usual as the visiting students resumed their learning within Beacon Academy classes. The cafeteria and student commissary extended their hours of operation to accommodate the new arrivals. With the training room time slots completely full to capacity, the gyms were packed full.

Vytal Festival excitement had begun. Team RWBY found themselves at odds with the growing number of paparazzi that had been allowed on the campus grounds. They were in search of interviews with high profile students, and Pyrrha Nikos had become their first victim.

“They’re still out there, aren’t they?” Ruby said, poking her fingers together.

“Yep.” Jaune said, cringing at the continually growing mob that Pyrrha had seemed to amass around her.

Ruby’s curiosity got the better of her. She looked out the window at the swarm of well-dressed news anchors and cameramen. “It looks like there’s even more of them now.”

“She really is like a magnet.” Nora said from her place on the floor.

“Wrong kind of magnet, though.” Yang chuckled.

“That’s what happens when you can’t refuse.” Weiss replied as she busied herself with the small collection of nail polish. “Pyrrha has contracts that require her to amuse the public. The only reason I’m not out there suffering with her is because I have no legal obligation to do so.”

“Yeah, but I think breaking that one guy’s camera wasn’t very nice.” Ruby said, pouting at her partner.

“I told him to put that infuriating contraption away, and he refused to do so.” Weiss shot back. “He deserved it. Enough of my life is put on display as it is. I won’t begin to tolerate any meddling into what little privacy I have left.”

“But, he just wanted one photo.”

“The media treats celebrities like show ponies to be trotted out whenever it is most profitable for them.” Weiss couldn’t help but sigh as she grabbed into that red cloak and dragged Ruby away from the window. “Ruby Rose, stop gawking!”

“Aw, I just want to see what’s going on…”

“You’ve seen far enough.” Weiss shot back. “It’s disgusting enough that the public does it. The last thing Pyrrha needs right now is someone she considers a friend rubbernecking at her like some deranged fangirl.”

“Is it really that bad?” Nora asked. “Pyrrha never complained about it….”

“She probably didn’t want to trouble us.” Ren mused softly.

“Well I think it’s good that so many people like her.” Nora said then as she shuffled a deck of playing cards and began dealing them out to Yang, Ren, and Jaune. “I mean, she is famous. Better to be famous for being liked, than famous for being hated.”

“You’d never understand. One crazy fan turns to ten, ten turns to hundreds.” Weiss shot back, finally selecting a light blue that her brother had given her as a present before entering Beacon. It was a thoughtful sort of gift, one she had been incredibly happy to receive. It wasn’t the most expensive thing she had ever received, but it was one of the most thoughtful. The gentle blue color was demure and complimented her wardrobe. “You’ll understand soon enough. We will all be joining Pyrrha once I’ve made myself presentable, not a moment before.”

“Pyrrha’s not all dolled up, I don’t see why you have to be.” Yang murmured as she watched Weiss begin to paint the color onto the thumb of her right hand.

“Her fame comes from combat, not finery.” Weiss said, the hint of her annoyance slipping into her voice. “My fame comes from status, now stop loafing around like idiots and make yourselves useful…”

“What do you mean?” Jaune asked as he looked up from the playing cards in his hand, the game of Crazy Eight’s forgotten. “Pyrrha told us to come back to the dorms.”

“Get into your combat gear!” Weiss barked. “All of you.”

“What?” Blake asked unhappily. “I’m not going out there in that swarm.”

“Oh yes you are. We all are, and that’s just the way it’s going to be.” Weiss shot back. “That goes double Jaune, Ren and Nora.”

“I don’t see what the big deal is.” Nora shrugged. “Pyrrha said she would be done in a little while.”

“She only told you that so you wouldn’t worry about her. She won’t be able to have a moment of peace until the media get what they came here for.” Weiss said, realizing that commoners would have no idea just how insane the media could become. They were ravenous for a good story.

“They’re already getting what they wanted though.” Yang said. “I don’t think we should get in the way of that, it might make her look bad.”

“Listen to me carefully, Pyrrha Nikos is a champion fighter. One of the main attractions during the festival is the tournament. She’s a crowd favorite to win.” Weiss said darkly, her eyes focused on making her nails as perfect as possible. “The news crews won’t leave her alone until they have a cover story for front page news. Think about it. There is no better cover story than two high profile friends preening about the upcoming tournament while flanked by our teams. Therefore, if you care about Pyrrha at all, you’ll go and make yourselves presentable.”

“You’re just trying to get some good publicity yourself, aren’t you?” Blake asked dryly. “Your family’s all over the news right now, and it doesn’t look good.”

“Do you really think I’m that duplicitous?” Weiss asked her darkly. “Obviously that will be the outcome as well, but if that had been my goal I would have stayed out in that drooling mob of vultures from the start. I’m not daft enough to think myself particularly charitable, but even you have to agree that it’s better than leaving Pyrrha out there on her own.”

“I think it’s a good excuse.”

“Oh, really….”

The stare down was heavy, amber and icy blue at odds.

“Uh, guys?” Ruby murmured nervously.

That snapped them out of it. That small voice of their leader. They’d vowed not to start fighting in front of her. One of them had to back down, and do it quickly before the fight was too big to ignore.

Blake capitulated first. “Fine, we’ll do it your way.”

“The better way.” Weiss corrected. “The media are nothing but a pack of mindless dogs. Give them a bone to chew on and they leave, it’s that simple.”

* * *

Blake hated all of the attention. She hated even more that Weiss seemed to be right about the press. In truth there was only one reason Blake found herself standing in the middle of the swarming news crews, smirking despite being blinded by the bright flashing bulbs. Pyrrha was an ally to the Faunus cause. Although she often spoke in direct opposition to the White Fang, she was a Faunus supporter.

Pyrrha had been involved in the movement since the start of her fame, and it wasn’t simply mindless lip service. She put her money where her mouth was. That was a rare and risky thing for a human to do.

Pyrrha was a source of controversy among Faunus. As a human, she had always been a strong ally when it came to monetizing several important relief foundations that were instrumental in bringing Faunus to the kingdoms and education outside to the tribes. With her funding, Faunus had easier access to trade routes and the ability to pay huntsmen for the more dangerous routes they were given. While some Faunus praised Pyrrha’s efforts, others assumed a more sinister intent. Some thought she was looking for a way to game the system and line her pockets the way that so many others did.

Blake couldn’t blame them for thinking that way. Others had already betrayed them. The SDC wasn’t the only company in search of cheap labor. It was easy to assume any handout was a double edged sword. Spending even a single afternoon with the famed champion would be enough to prove otherwise. Despite that, Sienna had never once reached out. She had never once thought to include any human in the White Fang’s efforts.

That was one of the major differences between Sienna and her father. While Ghira Belladonna believed humans were fundamental to the Faunus plight, Sienna Khan did not.

She couldn’t help but wonder what the media would think if they knew the truth. It would probably be a media frenzy if they discovered that a Faunus shared a team with Weiss Schnee. Pyrrha’s limelight would be taken away from her at a moment’s notice. The SDC would be called into question. So would the Faunus cause. Even so, Blake couldn’t help but feel obligated to repay old debts.

Without Pyrrha, and other humans like her, many Faunus would have died needlessly in the streets of the kingdoms. Between the usual gang violence and poverty it would be even easier to fall into the bad crowds as many Faunus tended to do.

Blake endured the camera. She ignored the dull roar of questions as Weiss and Pyrrha gave expertly crafted responses to the news crews around them. When it was over and the media began to disperse, her eyes landed on a Faunus in the distance. Someone she thought she knew. A tall man carrying a fully muscled physique. She knew she had seen him somewhere before.

“I’m just seeing things,” she murmured to herself a moment later when she couldn’t quite place him.

“You okay Blake?” Yang asked at her side.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Blake said then, though her tone of voice betrayed her.

“Are you sure?” The blond asked skeptically. “You don’t sound fine to me.”

“It’s all the flashing lights.” Blake told her, brushing the concern away as she rubbed at her eyes. “They get to me.”

“I thought they’d never leave.” Ruby sighed, sitting on the corner of one of the stone monuments in the courtyard.

“No kidding.” Jaune murmured from his crumpled position beside the monument Ruby sat on. “I don’t know how anyone can deal with that for so long. It made me dizzy.”

“You get used to it.” Pyrrha told him. “Spending some time in a quiet place usually helps. You should go lay down for a bit.”

“That’s a good idea. I think I’m going to do the same thing.” Blake replied, already dreading the headache forming behind her eyes.

“Yeah, you’re looking a little pale…” Yang agreed. “I’ll walk you back.”

“No, stay here.” Blake said. “I want to be alone.”

The gift of night vision came with its own set of problems. Continual flashing lights made it difficult for her sight to adjust to her surroundings. It was considered a Faunus friendly practice to disable the flash function on a camera when taking multiple photographs. Nobody had thought to ask. Nobody even considered that someone among them wasn’t human. It was just another way that proved themselves to be inconsiderate. Photosensitivity wasn’t just exclusive to Faunus, but those that went on unaffected never seemed to care.

She went back to the room to lay down. Her thoughts were still swirling. That tall male Faunus had a tattoo. It was distinctive. The dark ink melding perfectly against his skin. She knew she had seen it before somewhere. It was so clear in her mind. Deciding she would skip dinner. She dressed into her pajamas before sliding under the sheets. The throbbing in her head wouldn’t stop until sleep claimed her.

She didn’t know how long she was asleep for, groggily she didn’t care. The creaking of the door alerted her to a new arrival in the room. Yang was too busy trying to close the door quietly to notice. Blake lifted an arm to cover her face, sighing out a long breath of air.

“Oh, good, you’re awake.” Yang said. She held a tray of food in hand as she carried it over to Blake’s bedside. “I brought soup.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” Blake told her.

“I kind of did, though.” Yang shrugged. “You missed dinner.”

Turning her head to the side, Blake glimpsed the small bowl as steam lifted from the top of the broth. A dinner roll sat beside it, the smell of the yeast filled dough speaking of just how fresh out of the oven it was. A small container of butter and plastic utensils sat on the opposite side of the tray. A clear plastic cup filled with ice water was the most appealing thing there. For that, she groaned as she forced herself to sit up.

The sun was already setting deep into the skyline, pink and golden hues splashing against the clouds. “What time is it?”

“After seven.” Yang said as she pulled some salt and pepper packets out of her pocket and chucking them onto the single napkin folded beneath the spoon and knife. “Weiss told me food helps. I think she feels a little guilty.”

“I don’t think she sees my headache as a problem.”

“You say that, but she popped a pain pill at dinner.” Yang replied, placing the tray in Blake’s lap. “Pyrrha seemed pretty drained too. I didn’t think just standing there while people took a bunch of pictures would be so hard.”

“They were answering a lot of questions too.” Blake said, taking a deep gulp of the water and relaxing a bit as it cooled her throat.

“If bright flashing lights hurt your eyes like that, you should have told us…”

“It was only a few pictures.”

“Yeah, and it made you sick.” Yang muttered as she took a seat beside her partner. The bed sinking under the blonde’s weight. “We’re a team, Blake. Knowing that kind of thing is really important.”

“It doesn’t happen all the time. There were just a lot of cameras going off at once. It’s disorienting.”

“I get that, but that’s exactly why we should have known.” Yang said. “I have a friend who’s like that, but for her it gets really bad. Ends up puking sometimes. Seeing you out there today, it reminded me a lot of her.”

“Thankfully my stomach is more solid than that.”

“Jaune’s wasn’t.” Yang told her. “He ended up in one of the flowerbeds. The difference between you and him is that he didn’t know it would happen.”

“I’m not surprised…” Blake noted dryly. Inwardly, she knew that wasn’t the only difference, not by a long shot. “Thank you for the dinner Yang, I think it might go to waste though. I’m not all that hungry.”

“Do you still have that headache?”

Blake nodded wordlessly. Her amber eyes falling onto the meal in front of her, and Yang’s never-ending thoughtfulness. It only continued to prompt a deep self-loathing from within the Faunus woman. “Why do you keep doing things like this, Yang?”

“Uh, cause you're my partner and I like you?” Yang questioned back, her tone confused as she regarded the woman in front of her. “I like to think we’re building some sort of friendship. Friends look out for each other.”

“You can stop now.” Blake murmured. “I’m not worth your time.”

“Doubt it…”

“I’m a useless person. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that.”

“I think you’re wrong about that.” Yang said, moving the tray out of the way and sliding closer. “Whatever asshole made you think that way, whatever happened to you, it doesn’t matter anymore. Fuck that, it doesn’t matter. Here’s the thing, you don’t get to decide my opinion for me, Blake. That’s not how this works.”

“Just leave me alone.”

“No.”

“Please… Just-”

“I said no!” Yang shot back, interrupting whatever it was Blake was about to say. She didn’t want to hear it. Not again. “You’re stuck with me. I’m your partner. If nothing else, I’m at least that much. I’m not going to let you push me away anymore. You’re stuck with me for at least four years, you might as well get used to it. I don’t just abandon people. I don’t do that shit, and I’m sick and tired of letting you push me out.”

“Get away from me!”

“No! You could beat the hell out of me right here and now, and I still won’t leave. I’m not going anywhere. Got it?!”

“Suit yourself.” Blake sighed, resigned to the fact this wasn’t a fight she could win right now.

Yang rolled her eyes. It didn’t feel like the victory she wanted as she reached for the now cooled soup. “Your food’s cold,” she murmured, punching her fists together just enough to get her semblance going. The heat from her hands simmering the food within the bowl easily enough as she placed it down onto the tray. “There, now just eat it. No more complaining.”

As Blake lifted the spoon despondently to her lips Yang let out a long sigh, the two of them sitting in the quiet for a few moments. Finally once the heavy silence was too much Yang tried to break it again. “Weiss thought it might be a good idea to walk the pier this weekend and check out all of the festival decorations. Ruby suggested doing it as a team thing.”

“Let me guess, you’d like to do it as a team too?” Blake asked her.

“It could be fun.” Yang shrugged. “Plus, a bunch of boats should be coming in around then. Might be a good idea to check out the competition.”

“I think our time would be better spent training.”

“We only have the room in a two hour block in the evening. There’s plenty of time before that.”

“I’m not getting out of this, am I?” Blake told her, poking at a floating piece of chicken in her soup.

“Well, we did force Weiss to do the camping thing, we should probably do something she wants now.” Yang said, feeling as though she was missing something. She just couldn’t put her finger on what that thing was. “Is an afternoon downtown really so much to ask?”

Blake shook her head. “I guess not.”

“Great, then I’ll tell Ruby you’re in.” Yang said, a soft smile breaking out on her face. “It’ll be fun, you’ll see.”

Deep down Blake sincerely doubted it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 7/20/2020.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (IMPORTANT!!!! PLEASE READ ABOUT THE TIMELINE AND FICTION UPDATES!!!  
> #1 The family that was visiting has gone back home now, so the fiction will resume a 7-10 update schedule from here on out once more.
> 
> #2 This chapter has not been Beta-Read by WoesBeGone, because our schedules did not line up for this update. They will be returning to beta-reading in the next chapter.
> 
> 3# Notes about story pacing: Technically as far as the cannon timeline is concerned we’re on “Volume 1, Chapter 15: The Stray”. This particular episode is about 10 mins in length, and therefore will span several chapters. This is fundamental because it is the true beginning of the conflict between Weiss and Blake. Weiss openly states her disgust for the White Fang in this episode. Blake rushes to defend the White Fang’s intentions. This is the basis for the Black and White finale. 
> 
> More importantly though, it’s time to discuss the timeline.
> 
> “The Stray” was a key moment when determining the length of this fiction and the overall time skips. In this episode, Ruby sets the timeline in firm stone. “The police never caught that Torchwick guy I ran into *a few months ago*”. This means that between chapters 1-15 in the series, months have gone by. This coupled with Glynda’s “it’s been weeks now” In Chapter 11’s Jaundice: Part 1, and other context clues were the entire basis for the pacing up until this point. 
> 
> This is also why I broke Volume 1 up into two separate arcs. I did it for the sake of drawing a clear comparison between the foremost skips in the series, and to punctuate just how much time has gone by.  
> Even though there’s no clear indication in the series as to when exactly the fight with Torchwick took place, it’s obvious that it took place at least somewhat near the start of the new school year. At least, when you take the series at its face value, without any added content from press interviews or convention mumbo-jumbo. So the team RWBY girls have all known each other about three months by this point, or close to it. However this is the last large time skip in Volume 1. This leads me to number 4.
> 
> #4 The Stray and Black and White comprise the final episodes in Volume 1. They are a different beast entirely as far as the timeline is concerned. This makes for a mess in some places of this part of the arc. Not only are there time skips, the continuity is NOT the same across team RWBY. In fact, it’s vastly different.  
> These two episodes are filled with small cohesive time skip that are easy to miss. However, there is heavy implication mixed in, and that complicates matters. These two episodes take place over the course of the same weekend. It begins on a Friday afternoon (stated directly by Yang complaining at the docs). Blake and Weiss fighting in the afternoon, evening, and night (three small time skips right there). Blake runs away not to return (Friday night). Sun says in Black and White that it’s nearly two days since he met Blake before she actually manages to speak with him. This places the timeline firmly on Sunday night when the Roman fight with Sun, Blake, and Penny occurs.  
> However, even though roughly 48 hours have passed, only 12 of those hours were used by *Weiss* to look for Blake. This is stated explicitly by Weiss when she says “Stop. Do you have any idea how long we have been searching for you? Twelve hours. That means I’ve had twelve hours to think about this. In that twelve hours, I’ve decided I don’t care.”  
> This is what I mean about the messy timeline in these last two episodes.  
> If you take Sun’s and Ruby’s statements as truth, it’s been nearly two days since Blake ran off. If you listen to Weiss, it’s been only half of a single day. All three of those perspectives happen in the same episode: Black and White. This leads me to my 5th point.
> 
> #5 I believe this mess of a timeline was intentional. Weiss elaborates her portion of the timeline 3 times in the same section of dialogue. The implication is that *SHE* was searching for 12 hours. Ruby and Yang were likely searching long before that. There’s no direct statement, but there’s enough off the cuff bantering to heavily imply that at least one of the two sisters went searching on Saturday before Weiss was dragged along with them on Sunday.  
> This duality of timelines among the four girls is the reason why this chapter cuts off when it does, and why the next several chapters will have time stamps to indicate what time of day it is. You will see multiple scenes taking place at the exact same time of day in some places. This is intentional for the reasons given above. These two episodes are a chronological mess to sort out.
> 
> Chronicling a very messy 48 hours in the next several chapters… god help me… Did you read all of that? Good, then it’s time to get on with the story proper.
> 
> ((PLEASE READ THE NOTES ABOVE IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY!!! THEY ARE IMPORTANT!!!)

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
****Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
****Chapter XXLII**

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 12:00 P.M.)

On Friday the halls were filled with murmurs. Final arrivals from Vacuo would be making their appearance later that day. Vacuo natives waited to see their old friends, meanwhile older students spoke highly of old rivals. Everyone was curious about the new students. Vacuo was known for being the poorest kingdom economically, the most dangerous socially.

Without the strict Atlesian protocols, and lacking Mistral's economic diversity, it was no wonder why Vacuo was known for cultivating some of the most ruthless huntsmen around. Vale benefited from lush forests, plenty of clean water, and an abundance of wildlife. Creatures of Grimm responded to the gentle habitats, and were considered far more docile than their sand dwelling brethren. While Grimm were always dangerous by nature, the Grimm in Vale were mostly sociable creatures among their own kind.

Large packs of Beowolves, Ursa dens, and Nevermore flocks built up the bulk of the local Grimm. They were the bulk of complaints when it came to infestations, and the creatures a passerby was likely to run into. Goliaths roamed in the deep woods, but even they were fairly docile compared to their northern cousins, the Megoliaths. With four seasons and predictable weather patterns at Vale’s disposal, Grimm migrations were easier to manage.

The same could not be said of Vacuo. The landscape was oftentimes inhospitable. The weather patterns were less merciful. Grimm responded to that deadly environment. The people were often in lesser spirits, and the Grimm became more bloodthirsty as a direct result. They were far more inclined to seek out settlements and villages. Hunters were in particularly high demand.

It was easy to be curious about students from Vacuo. Weiss couldn’t help but be caught up in the spectacle of it all. She wanted to know more.

With classes called early to welcome more new arrivals, the girls took the first airship out to Vale. The streets were filled with people. Shopkeepers were still in the midst of decorating. Villagers that were visiting the kingdom were easy to point out from the crowds. They lingered at the bus stops and squinted at maps. As they moved through the streets, they looked up at the tall buildings in awe. The small children holding hands with their parents had probably never seen a kingdom before.

Police officers helped the lost pedestrians find their way around the city, handing out coloring books and toys to children old enough to have them. Bakeries and coffee shops offered small free samples, while other shops offered water stations to keep hydrated in the heart of Vale. With all of the excitement, it was hard for any member of team RWBY to be in a bad mood as they collected small event pamphlets from the main lobby of the airship terminal.

“Do you think the weapon expo has started yet?” Ruby asked.

“Probably not for students yet. Most of the big vendors will be on the parade grounds anyway.” Yang said, unfolding the tri-fold piece of paper. “But, the stores have some huge sales going on already by the looks of it.”

“Hey look, there’s half off sushi at the place by the pier if you have a student badge.” Blake said, pointing to the red lettered advertisement. “We have to go there for lunch.”

“No, way.” Ruby said crinkling her nose. “That’s raw fish.”

“All reputable sushi restaurants take the highest precautions to ensure the fish is fresh and safe to eat.” Blake retorted. “If you’ve never had it before, you really should try it before you knock it.”

“Ew…” Ruby murmured.

“Actually, I agree with Blake.” Weiss told her. “The fatty tuna there is superb. That and if you truly don’t wish to eat raw meals, they do have a few other options available. You could always order something else.”

“Don’t forget all of the food carts by the pier, sis.” Yang added. “Might as well live a little.”

Ruby frowned as she patted her pockets. “But isn’t that place really fancy?”

“I would never allow you to pay for such an astronomically expensive meal on my watch.” Weiss told her. “My allowance covers my dining expenses. Now then, I’m not particularly hungry at the moment and there are plenty of stores between here and the pier. We really should consider where we will be going first.”

“We don’t have to plan that.” Yang laughed. “I just sort of figured we’d start here and just fart around downtown all day.”

“We might as well check things out as we go.” Blake agreed.

“Sounds good to me.” Ruby shrugged.

Weiss looked down at all the sales, red lettering enticing her to agree. “Well, if you insist.”

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 12:30 P.M.)

They browsed the local shops first. A few clothing stores caught half of the team up in the excitement. Despite Ruby’s best efforts she couldn’t keep her sister or Weiss out of them. Eager shoppers were spending more money than they probably should. It was hard to find a place away from them. Ruby kept to the corner as Yang and Weiss inhabited the fitting rooms with more outfits than either of them truly needed.

“You’re not going to buy anything?” Ruby asked as she pulled her hood down to avoid the masses as several people passed on by.

“I don’t see the point. I have plenty of clothes.” Blake said, a magazine in hand as she flipped the page. The articles were nothing more than interviews, but the image of the Beacon Academy staff caught her eye. She passed the article to Ruby, as if that might help to stifle the girl’s boredom. “Here, this should interest you…”

Ruby took the magazine from Blake, skimming over the interview of Beacon Academy staff. It was mildly entertaining, but nowhere near as interesting as the newspaper Blake had picked up. The White Fang’s own Sienna Khan was splashed across the page next to an image of pure destruction. Curiosity got the better of them as they glared at the headline. Sienna was denying any and all accusations of the newest White Fang attack in Atlas.

“What happened?” Ruby asked when her eyes found the smallest photograph. It was the long funeral procession that bothered her the most. There was more than one casket, and Ruby couldn’t look away.

“A bunch of White Fang members were just sentenced to life in prison for the assassination of a bunch of innocent SDC workers.” Blake told her, folding the page over so that Ruby would stop staring at it.

“They’re killing people?”

“That’s what it says, but Sienna’s denying it.” Blake told her. “She’s demanding the prisoners be released into her custody for a fair trial.”

“Would Atlas do something like that?”

“No, Ruby…” Blake said. “They wouldn’t.”

The young leader took the newspaper from her, her eyes falling over the paragraphs. Unfocused eyes glazing over as the implications set in. “You don’t think the White Fang really did something like that, do you? Just killing a bunch of innocent workers like that…”

“Things are never that simple. There’s probably more to it than that.” Bake told her, taking the newspaper away from the girl. “There always is.”

Ruby wanted to believe that, but the image had burned into her mind. “Yeah, but still…”

“The White Fang aren’t known for taking the lives of civilians unprovoked.” Blake said then, years of mental conditioning seeping into her voice. She was raised in the era of Sienna’s regime. Killing senselessly didn’t appeal to her, it never had. Killing someone meant they had to deserve it. Either firing the first shot, or refusing surrender. “Sienna’s never advocated for unprovoked bloodshed.”

“Yeah, but you’ve heard her on the news before.” Ruby said quietly. “What if she had a reason?”

“I don’t know, Ruby. She’s been in the news before, but never quite like this. Usually it’s military personnel or someone in power that’s done something unforgivable. She’s always been vocal about standing up in the face of oppression.”

“That doesn’t mean that killing is the answer, though.” Ruby sighed.

Blake bristled at that. It wasn’t from the words, but from Ruby’s tone. “You really shouldn’t believe the news, especially anything that comes out of Atlas. They favor humans, so you can’t be sure what’s really true when it comes to stories like this.”

“You really don’t think they did it?” Ruby asked softly. Hope lingering beneath the sadness.

“I don’t know what I believe.” Blake told her, knowing that Ruby would be willing to believe anything that came out of her mouth. One single excuse would be enough, but Blake couldn’t even offer that much. “We’ll never know for sure, that’s the problem with the government in Atlas. The White Fang might have done it, but they might not have. Faunus don’t usually get fair trials there for something like this. Even when they do it’s not publicized.”

The girl bit her lower lip, scowling down at the paper thoughtfully. The next question to pour out of her mouth wasn’t made for Blake in particular. “Does Atlas really just put people in prison for life without a fair trial?”

It just so happened that Blake picked up the murmured words, but there wasn’t anything comforting she could offer. Only the truth as she knew it. “In cases like this, it’s in the hands of the military. The council doesn’t usually deal with minorities. For all we know it could have been an instigated conflict that went too far.”

“Geeze I can’t leave you two alone for a second can I?” Yang said, coming out of the dressing room with a new outfit in hand. “What’s with the sour looks? It’s a festival! You’re supposed to be happy.”

“Tell that to the newspaper.” Blake said, cramming it in Yang’s hands before rolling her eyes. “There’s a bookstore a few shops down. I’ll be waiting there when you guys are finished shopping for clothes.”

“I think I’ll go too.” Ruby said. “Catch up with us later.”

“Uh… Okay then…” Yang murmured when the two of them took off, leaving her more confused than before. Unfolding the black and white jumble of paper simply made her sigh. The article had probably gotten to them, and she had half a mind to set it on fire as she crumpled it up and tossed it into the trashcan. “Stupid fuckin’ newspaper…”

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 1:00 P.M.)

“You didn’t have to come with me, Ruby.” Blake said over her shoulder as she sidestepped a sprawling family of wolf Faunus sporting blue and white robes.

“I’d rather look at books than clothes right now anyway.” Ruby shrugged, bringing up the rear.

“Suit yourself.” Blake told her, as they continued to pass the large family filling the pathway.

Ruby was distracted, more than usual. “I’ve never seen so many Faunus in one place before.”

“They’re probably from a nearby settlement.” Blake said, although she could only assume. She couldn’t know for sure. The carts of wares to be sold was as good an indication as any. That wasn’t the only clue. Their children were with them, another strong indicator. “Are you okay?”

“It’s just a lot of people, Blake. I’ve never gotten used to crowds like this...”

“Don’t worry, the store is nearby.”

“Right…” Ruby agreed, but she still struggled with navigating through the waves of people. Faunus or not, a crowd was still a crowd.

Mothers held babies, while teens helped to peddle the carts. Some curious youngsters were no taller than her knee and far too rambunctious to notice where they were going as one collided into Ruby. The child merely looked up in horror as he fell on his behind, tiny ears falling flat on his head.

“Oh! Uh, I’m sorry about that.” Ruby told him, holding out a hand to help him up. “Are you okay?”

“I am terribly sorry, Miss.” An older Faunus replied, hauling the boy up from the ground and bowing deeply. Pushing his son’s head down to do the same. “We meant no disrespect.”

“Oh, no sir. It’s fine.” Ruby said, holding her hands up in confusion. Shyness got the better of her. “It’s my fault, really. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“My son should have been more careful.” The man replied quietly, his head still bowed. “Please do not think my family discourteous for the transgression.”

“Um… I don’t… what?” Ruby asked, flustered beyond belief before Blake sighed at length.

“It probably was her fault.” Blake said, bowing deeply in reply. She had no choice, something had to be done. “A child so young can hardly be blamed for an accident.”

This was a beta male of the large family unit, a middling Faunus of comfortable means. Among his own people, he was likely a respected craftsman, but here he was no more than an outsider. His scent was completely subservient to the situation. Fear mixing with it. Lacking the power to do anything more than ask for forgiveness and hope that his son hadn’t made a catastrophic error. 

Blake knew why the smell of fear wafted off of him. It would be a great shame to the family if law enforcement needed to get involved. There would be no protection for him, and if Faunus were needlessly arrested for aggression it would spell trouble for everyone involved.

Ruby would never have accused him of something untoward, but this man had no knowledge of that. Ruby was at a loss, and the cultural divide was too great. She had no idea how to even tackle such a simple exchange of words with a man that had no concept of life inside the kingdom walls.

Coming to her leader’s aid, Blake flared her own scent, calm and relaxed, purely an invitation. At this, the two Faunus exchanged glances with their heads bowed. Both of them agreed silently to a peaceful resolution before righting themselves. Putting an arm around Ruby’s shoulder, she nodded to the man. “She’s excited for the festival too.”

It only took a moment for the severity in the man’s face to wane into something resembling a smile. “Oh, I see. Even so, a reparation should be made for my son’s oversight. It would only be right.”

“No need.” Blake told him, wishing that alone would be the end to everything.

“A reparation?” Ruby murmured, sidestepping behind Blake. She was more than a little confused. Intimidated by the discussion as her insecurity got the better of her. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, Ruby you didn’t.” In truth, Blake couldn’t blame her for that as she sighed. 

It was an entirely foreign concept to someone born and raised within a Kingdom. Blake might have been able to hide her ears, but her natural scent had given her away. He knew of her Faunus heritage by smell alone, and that was dangerous information.

On top of all of that, the single action Ruby cowering behind her spoke more to the man in front of her than anything else could.

Among Faunus it was a statement of territory. Ruby backing away like that had given the two Faunus grounds to speak about the matter. Unknowingly, she had submitted. In doing so, she had implied a power dynamic. Wordlessly showing that Blake was the one in charge of the proceedings. The man in front of them took this statement as a Faunus custom, instead of the mere shyness that it truly was.

Ruby had no idea, but what was done could not be undone.

“Surely, there is something I could offer you.” The man said, addressing Blake with his hands folded in front of him. “We have some fine silks, perhaps a garment would be to your liking?”

“Please, don’t worry about that.” Blake said, squaring her shoulders. Tilting her head forward slightly she claimed space while also yielding simple respect. It was subtle, but a Faunus would understand her intention to lead the conversation. “Reparations aren’t usually used inside the kingdoms.”

“Indeed, yet the custom-”

“People living within the kingdoms don’t follow laws in the same way as the villages.” Blake interrupted with a slight laugh. Humans didn’t use the practice at all within the kingdoms, but trade worked differently inside the safety of the walls. “Not many here act on reparations, the people in Vale trust the legal system for that.”

“Hmm…” The man sounded, and Blake knew her lie was too thinly veiled. It was rare for any Faunus to decline an offering, particularly where family honor stood paramount among their kind. The man clearly thought of this, obvious confusion on his face before a new conclusion damned on him. “Oh, yes that’s right.”

One that Blake could tell by his smirk and demeanor would be dead wrong. “What?”

“I understand now.” He said to her. It seemed only natural that a Faunus with such interests in humans would amuse the nose-blind tendencies of a possible mate to seem more favorable. “You wouldn’t follow such practices, now would you?”

“No, we wouldn’t.” Blake said with a nod, her insides twisting as the implication hopefully went over Ruby’s head. The girl still seemed too flustered to notice, and most Faunus had more tact than to blert assumptions out loud. “As you can guess, there’s no harm done. Let’s just forget this ever happened and be on our way.”

“If you insist. Please know that I extend my deepest apologies.” The man replied. “I promise you, it will not happen again.”

“It’s okay.” Blake told him, taking Ruby by the hand to lead her away before anything else awkward could happen. “Have a nice day, sir.”

“To you as well.” He called back, another bow in their direction causing Blake to curse under her breath.

It was too close for comfort, and one wrong turn of phrase would have outed her instantly. There was nothing to be done about it now, but she needed to be more careful in the future.

“Blake… what was that reparation thing about?” Ruby asked while being half dragged through the streets.

Blake found an open area of sidewalk before letting go of her. “It’s a gift of apology. Reparations are a custom among outside tribes and villages. It’s just something they do to prove they want to make things right.”

“But why was the little kid so afraid of me?”

“Because he slammed into an adult.” Blake told her.

“It was just a mistake though.”

“It’s a different sort of culture outside of the kingdoms, especially in small settlements.” Blake told her. “Kids are raised to stay by their parents. The teachings of their families are the start and end of their education. In some places that’s it, that’s all they have. The idea of school like you’re used to isn’t possible. That means when children misbehave, they’ve only got themselves to blame. Good parents take that seriously.”

“It sounds hard…”

“That’s just the way it is.”

“Even for just little things like that?”

“It’s the principle of the thing.” At this Blake shook her head. “You need to understand, it’s dangerous outside of the kingdom’s walls. Bandits, Grimm, any number of other things. Disobeying can get them into danger. On top of all of that, you’re a human, and they’re not. It’s just that simple. His dad probably thought you’d be angry.”

“I’d never be mad over a little accident like that…”

“Not everyone is as nice as you.” Blake murmured as they came up to the bookshop. “Come on, let’s get out of the crowds.”

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday 1:00 P.M.)

“And then they just took off.” Yang said from inside one of the booths.

“Ruby doesn’t seem the type to enjoy shopping for clothes anyway.” Weiss replied, the rustling of fabric silencing her for a moment before she spoke again. “She is something of a bookworm, though. At least when it comes to those fairytales of hers.”

“You’d be surprised, actually. She just doesn’t like stores full of people. It makes her feel a little self-conscious when she’s trying stuff on.” Yang explained opening up her door and peeking out. “Do these make my hips look big to you?”

Weiss pulled back her own stall door stepping out to view the jeans that looked to be a size too small. “It looks like your crammed yourself into them.”

“I could say the same about your skirt.” Yang said with a smirk.

“Quite.” Weiss agreed dryly. “Unlike you, I have no figure to speak of, finding clothes that compliment my figure tends to be difficult.”

“Tell that to your dress.” Yang laughed. “That one you had for your date fit you perfectly.”

“For the price that was obviously paid for it, it would be an insult if it didn’t compliment my figure perfectly.” Weiss told her. “However, when it comes to finding clothes off of the rack, it’s nearly impossible. You probably have an easier time.”

“I’ve got my own problems, thanks. Finding bras that don’t squash my tits or screw over my range of motion isn’t exactly easy.” Yang said as she closed her door again, Weiss following soon after with her own. “It was a nightmare when I was a kid.”

“Be glad you have something to work with.” Weiss complained. “I’m petite in all ways. I doubt I’ll ever fill out.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing…”

“It is a bad thing.” Weiss said. “I take after my father in looks.”

“Yeah, well at least you don’t deal with back pain. Not to mention, when I’m on the red, my nipples hurt like hell.” Yang said. “Having big boobs really sucks sometimes.”

“That was far more than I ever needed to hear!” Weiss squawked. “Don’t you have any sense of modesty?”

“Uh, not really.” Yang laughed. “Modesty for me sort of died out when I became an academy kid. Not much to hide, plus you’re a girl anyway. There’s nothing I have that you don’t. There’s not really a point to it.”

“Some people would beg to differ. Especially considering the lack of politeness flowing out of your mouth.” Weiss said offhandedly before dressing into her normal clothes and stepping out of the booth with a single white pencil skirt in hand. The only thing that had fit her. “I’m done here.”

“Yeah, me too.” Yang said, her own choice of clothing slung over her arm. “Got a couple of things, so not bad really.”

“Do you know what bookstore they were going to?” Weiss asked once she got to the register to make her purchases.

“Blake didn’t give the name of it.”

“I assume you didn’t think to clarify.”

“Since they were busting out of here so fast, I didn’t have a chance. She just said it was a few stores down.” Yang shrugged, filling out the slip for her delivery. “I figure if we can’t find them, we’ll just call them.”

“I suppose that will do.” Weiss said, placing away her credit card and student identification. “Before we meet up with them, I’d like to stop next door.”

“The lingerie store?” Yang asked, as she pulled the backing off of the paper and stuck it onto the side of her box.

“No, you ignoramus.” Weiss said, glaring at Yang as though she had grown a second head. “The pharmacist.”

“Oh…” Yang said, fluffing at the back of her hair as she watched Weiss fill out her own delivery form. “What do you need from there?”

“You’ll find out when we get there.” Weiss shot back, scrawling down the information quickly before fastening it to the white box her new garment rested in.

It didn’t take long for Yang to understand exactly what Weiss needed as they stopped at the back of the store where the prophylactics were. Weiss wordlessly selected four boxes from the shelf, passing them to Yang. Money followed soon after. “I need you to buy these and send them to the room for me.”

“You know these things have an expiration date, right?” Yang asked, looking at the four large boxes with a frown.

“We’re in a co-ed school.” Weiss told her. “It’s time we outfit the room properly, don’t you agree?”

“I don’t know what freaky shit you think is going on in the room, but I don’t think anyone needs this much.” Yang said to her.

“They’re for all of us.” Weiss told her. “I know that you and I are sexually active at the very least. That’s reason enough to buy them.” She didn’t want to have to explain that she planned to keep dental dams in another location as well. “If I’m going to be on a team, I want to make sure no one has exposed themselves needlessly. Certain STDs can be transmitted by blood. A lapse of judgement and minor injury could expose all of us. As a huntress that’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”

While Yang had always been careful for strictly those reasons, she never thought Weiss would speak it so plainly. “So, is this it then?” Yang asked. “Nothing else we need here?”

“Just go buy them, please.” Weiss said pinching the bridge of her nose. “We’ve lingered too long as it is already.”

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 2:00 P.M.)

Blake had been hoping to introduce Ruby to Tukson, but that plan failed spectacularly before it could even start. The man was apparently out on the town, selling a few overstocked books to clear out his storage. This left one of his employees behind the counter to oversee the store. The girl greeted them with the usual customary slogan, but Blake found herself distracted by other things.

The smell of old books never got old. There was something relaxing about holding a well-loved book in hand. The yellowed paper between her fingers and the ever so slight raise of ink upon the pages had always been a comfort. It was one of many reasons she preferred books when it came to reading. With scrolls becoming universal across the kingdoms, it was a slowly dying medium. Electronic print was favored by the masses, and while Blake saw the value of keeping all of her reading material on one device, books held a special place in her heart.

It was a passion passed down from her parents, both of them avid readers in their own right. While they both fancied historical texts, her mother fixated on sciences while her father focused in law. She had grown up around thick tomes, and quiet libraries. Her earliest memories always had something to do with reading. Be it her father frowning down at the local news, or her mother constantly reorganizing the shelves in her father’s library, reading surrounded her.

Her own love of the habit started early, during the long rides traversing the villages and kingdoms. There was little to do during the long travels. Looking at the passing wilderness eventually got boring. Reading one of the many books her parents packed was her way to pass the time. 

Unfortunately, reading books for children grew boring when she exhausted the simple reading in her formative years. Looking at the pictures and muddling through her parents reading material had been one of the few ways to entertain herself as a child. Learning to read those had been an effort, but there was no question she had plenty of idle time.

Ruby seemed different though. A restless reader. The sort that fidgeted with every page, ran her fingers across every image she came across. Her fingers followed the lines of the text as though she were following each passing word. Her lips moving silently when engrossed in a good story.

“Are you thinking about buying that one?” Blake asked, her own small stack in hand to be purchased. One of them was the latest release of a personal favorite. Her hand fell over the cover of that one, the name obscured by her fingertips.

“Oh… No, probably not.” Ruby told her. “Yang and I don’t really get much of an allowance, and this one is really expensive.”

“Old world books like that usually are.” Blake told her. “May I?”

“Yeah, sure…” Ruby murmured passing Blake the thick hardcover book she had been gazing at.

“This is a collection of old wives tales from Vacuo. It’s not a bad find for a collector.” Blake said thoughtfully, turning the book over to see the price tag. “Not too expensive for what it is. Looks like the previous owner used it a lot.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway, I can’t afford it.” Ruby shrugged as she looked at the other books on the shelf. “For the used book area, a lot of these are more than I’d ever be able to buy on a whim.”

“A book that passes hands has more power than a book that hasn’t. At least, that’s the saying.” Blake said as she replaced the book on the shelves. “Anthologies like that one date back before the great war. We don’t have many books left from those days. The price reflects that.”

“I’ve never seen so many strange things like this before.” Ruby told her as she picked up a leather-bound unmarked book, written by hand and abused with time. “Is this some sort of ancient language?”

“Hmm? It looks like it.”

“Wow, creepy.”

“The owner here likes to keep rare ones like that on hand.”

“I don’t think I’ll be buying that one.” Ruby said, placing the odd book back onto the shelf.

It was then that Ruby picked up something Blake didn’t expect. A romance novel. The girl examined the book, looking over the back cover before humming to herself as she opened it to the first page.

“I didn’t know you were interested in romance.” Blake said to her. “That’s a good one.”

“I don’t usually read them, but I’ve been thinking of branching out. Most fairytales have some sort of love interest. I won’t say I’m not curious.” Still, the words on the page made Ruby blush as she glanced over to her friend. “You’ve read this one?”

It wasn’t particularly graphic, but Blake remembered a few of the chapters very well. Recalling the way it depicted some very lurid scenes. “Yes, it’s been about a year I think. It’s not something you forget.”

“But…” Ruby looked up from the book before reguaring Blake with a blush. “Um… In the first chapter…

At that, Blake could only nod, hiding her smirk expertly. “I know...”

Ruby was not convinced. “But the girls are…”

“I said I know. Here, give me that...” Blake said, closing the book and taking it from Ruby. She replaced the book before scanning the shelf, finding a better alternative. “That’s not exactly a story for a beginner. You’ll want something tamer to start with, like this one...”

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 2:30 P.M.)

With their shopping complete and a full afternoon ahead of them, the foursome finally began heading into the direction of the pier. There weren't quite as many people filling the sidewalks, and the girls enjoyed the one place that hadn’t been completely filled with tourists. 

They meandered along, passing smaller shops and restaurants. Yang lazily took in the sights, stretching her arms over her head and yawning in the face of a sunny day.

Ruby and Blake were similarly enjoying the pleasantness of their outing. Both of them murmuring about a few of the books Blake had added to her collection. Yang idly listened to the innocuous conversation. She didn’t read many books, and found herself having very little to add. She couldn’t help but feel the slight pang of jealousy coupling with her humor. Ruby seemed to have more in common with Blake when it came to hobbies, a fact that was hard to ignore.

Ruby didn’t have the same issue when talking to Blake. Yang thought it was probably because they were both anti-social by nature. Neither of them enjoyed being the center of attention, and while Ruby liked to have a few friends, those were generally hard won victories. It was kind of cute that they both bonded over something so frivolous, but Yang would have been lying if she denied that it struck a more personal chord with her.

In need of a distraction, her attention turned to Weiss. She was in an unusually good mood. Blue eyes alight with excitement as she dropped a few lien into a small glass box as she passed it by. 

For the woman it was likely little more than pocket change, but as much as Yang tried she just couldn’t fathom that. “I think that’s the fifth time you’ve done that today.” Yang noted. “Every time you pass one of those boxes a wad of cash slips in like magic.”

“Oh, is that so?” Weiss asked distractedly. “I haven’t been counting.”

Yang looked back at the box. It was the same type that Weiss had been pouring money into. “I never realized you were so invested in children’s charities…”

Weiss blinked herself out of her stupor, regarding Yang curiously before smiling slightly. “I wouldn’t say that I’m particularly invested. I wouldn’t normally do it, but I suppose you could call this an auspicious day.”

“If you say so.” Yang said with a small laugh.

By that point, Weiss had gained the attention of her other two teammates. Ruby eyed her shyly in a way that Weiss couldn’t quite place. Frankly, she didn’t care to think deeply about the matter as she looked up at one of the many ‘Welcome to Vale’ signs that had overtaken the city. “We should take every opportunity to enjoy ourselves. It is a festival after all.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in such a good mood, Weiss.” Ruby said softly. “You’re smiling a lot. It’s kind of weirding me out.”

“As I said before, it’s an auspicious day. It would be impossible not to smile.” Weiss told her, she couldn’t have kept the smile off of her lips if she tried. “The Vytal Festival is such a landmark event in and of itself that I couldn’t possibly ignore it. It’s a festival dedicated to the cultures of the world, there was once a time it would have been unheard of.”

“She’s right you know.” Blake said mildly.

“Still kind of crazy to think about.” Ruby said with a small smirk of her own.

“It’s such a huge celebration, complete with everything you could want. Dances, parades, a tournament with combatants that hail from across all the kingdoms.” Weiss told them, leading the way further down the decorated city streets. “The amount of planning and organization involved in facilitating an event this large is simply breathtaking.”

“You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring.” Yang said softly.

“Oh, hush.” Weiss said, her good mood unflinching at the remark. She hardly expected Yang to understand.

She knew first hand just how much effort it would take to plan such a massive event. She had assisted in the planning more than once. With the kingdoms taking turns to host the event, Atlas took significant pride in overseeing the festival when it was their turn to do so. It was one of the rare times she ever recalled her family being so unified. Shadowing her father along with her siblings was a fond memory she wouldn’t forget.

Her father seemed genuinely happy during the festival. Then again, he should have been. It was a great honor. She could see it so clearly if she closed her eyes. Her father sat at the head of the family table. Committee members from all over the world shared wine and discussed plans. Everything had to be perfect, he had insisted on that. At the formal ball her father made a habit to take her out for the first dance and last dance of the night. It was largely improper, Weiss realized as she grew older. Winter should have been given that honor, but her elder sibling didn’t seem to mind the odd show of favoritism.

Then again, Winter had never held the same love for dancing and theatrics.

“Hey, Weiss, the party is back that way.” Yang said, thumb pointing over her shoulder. They’d passed the main pier a little while ago, but Weiss seemed to be wandering off in a far different direction. “There’s nothing down this way, just boats and storage units.”

“And the smell of fish.” Ruby said, holding her nose.

“Well, that’s a given.” Yang told Ruby, nodding to a nearby container filled with ice and fresh fish for the markets.

“There are students from Vacuo arriving at this entrance.” Weiss told them. “We should give them a warm welcome.”

“Uh, and we couldn’t do that at Beacon once they got there?” Yang asked her.

“It’s basic reconnaissance.” Blake said with a small roll of her eyes.

“Say what…” Ruby murmured.

“It’s genius really.” Blake said to the sisters. “She wants to spy on them so that she’ll have the upper hand in the tournament.”

“As if you haven’t thought about doing the same thing…” Weiss said brushing the girl off. “The main fights will be broadcast across the kingdoms. I refuse to be made into a fool.”

“I never said I didn’t think the same thing.” Blake shot back, her smirk darkening. “I just don’t make a habit of befriending my opponents.”

“You know how the saying goes. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I think that applies for tournaments as well, don’t you?” Weiss told her. “Besides, my semblance tends to be common knowledge, it runs in the family. I see no problem with leveling the playing field if I can. If anything it’ll prove more interesting during the fights.”

“Always have to be on top, don’t you?” Yang teased good-naturedly before a destroyed storefront caught her eye.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with a little healthy competition.” Weiss shrugged.

“Woah…” Ruby murmured. “What in the heck happened over there?”

“Whatever it was, it doesn’t look good.” Yang said softly. Caution tape seemed to cover everything, broken glass littered the ground. Another dust shop was left in ruin. “Well, Dad always said this was a tough neighborhood.”

Silver eyes narrowed at that rather unpleasant reminder. “Let’s go check it out.”

They made their way to the busted out store. The smell of discharged dust residue lingered thickly in the air. Two officers stood outside the building. One was in the middle of taking photos. The other was busy writing something down on his notepad. One of the men walked through the broken door and began to inspect inside.

“Um… Excuse me, but can you tell us what happened here?” Ruby asked him, drawing his attention.

“Robbery…”

“Really, now?” Ruby asked, disheartened. “But it’s the festival.”

“Yeah, really. Perfect time, actually.” The officer said, looking back at the crime scene. “Streets are filled, plenty of confusion. Conditions are good for a heist. Slip in, get what you want, go out the back. You round the corner with the stuff you stole and slip into the masses unnoticed. Working the beat like this, you see it a lot.”

“That’s awful.” Weiss said under her breath.

“Yeah, no kidding.” Yang agreed. “Talk about a shitty thing to do to someone.”

“Second dust shop to be hit this week, and we expect more than that. It’s just the way it is.” The officer said to them before his partner called out to him. He nodded to the man, offering the girls a half-hearted wave to shoo them off. “Kids like you shouldn’t worry about it, it’s not your concern.”

The four of them still lingered despite being brushed off. The officers weren’t quiet in the slightest as they spoke, ignoring the young ladies lingering nearby.

“You got to see this. Everything is the same as before. Dust is all gone, but they left the cash.”

“Did you manage to get a print or something?”

“I wish, then maybe I’d get to go home and spend time with the family.”

“You heard the chief, we’re all slammed with overtime until we find something.”

“Good point, but there’s nothing else to find. It’s the same thing as before. In my eyes this is open and shut. They left all the money behind again. The dust is all taken, but the cash is still in the drawer. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out that whoever keeps doing this has more than enough firepower to be a real threat.”

“Damn, it just doesn’t make any sense. Why leave the cash?”

“Tells me they don’t need the money.”

“I hear you loud and clear. Something around here reeks, and it’s not the residue.”

“Who needs that much dust?”

“I’m thinking probably the White Fang.”

“I’m thinking we don’t get paid enough.”

“Amen to that…”

The girls heard it all, watching the two men bantered back and forth as if this was nothing more than a minor robbery.

Weiss knew better. A whole dust shop carried more than enough firepower to become dangerous quickly. The permits required to store such a vast amount didn’t come easy. The registration to distribute dust came with a hefty price tag and a certification class for proper handling. Two simple words rang in her ear. The same to that had always proven to be a dark cloud over her very existence.

“The White Fang, I should have known.” Weiss spat venomously. “It’s so obvious that I’m almost disappointed in myself for not realizing it sooner. That bunch of degenerates couldn’t ever hope to become decent, law abiding citizens.”

“What’s your problem?” Blake asked snidely.

“They’re criminals Blake, insane ones at that. They’re so unpredictable and dangerous that I can’t even dignify the outcomes anymore.” Weiss said with a roll of her eyes. “I realize that you seem to sympathize with their cause, but even you can’t possibly approve of this.”

“Of course I don’t, but when you say it like that you don’t help anything.” Blake shot back. “They’re a bit misguided, but they’re not psychopaths. They just want equality, that’s it.”

“Your naivety astounds me.” Weiss told her, more surprised at Blake’s response than she ever thought she would be. “They want to wipe humanity off the face of the planet, and to do that they’ll cut down anyone who stands in their way. Their esteemed ‘high leader’ couldn’t possibly care about humanity, let alone the innocent people they ruin in their path.”

“Okay, so they’re very misguided.”

“They’re totalitarians in almost every way!” Weiss shot back. “If they ever had a kingdom formally handed to them, the results would be catastrophic. It would cause another war in an instant because every human with a shred of common sense would be terrified.”

“Even if I pretend that’s true, it still doesn’t make any sense Weiss! Think about what you’re saying…” Blake told her, pointing to the dismantled remains of the dust shop. “None of that logic explains why the White Fang would rob such a small little dust shop in downtown Vale. Plus, the money was left behind. If they’re the degenerates you say they are, they would have taken the money too.”

“Weiss…” Ruby began slowly, looking saddened. “Blake has a point. Besides, the guy I ran into at the dust shop a few months ago… Well, he wasn’t a Faunus…”

“Oh yeah, that’s right.” Yang said, fluffing her hair as she thought about that. “I forgot his name, but he was still at large when we came to Beacon. He probably still is. He even gave Goodwitch the slip, and she’s no slouch. Maybe it has nothing to do with Faunus at all. Ruby, do you remember his name?”

“It was something like… Torchwick?” Ruby frowned as she shook her head. “I don’t really remember, but none of the guys with him were Faunus. They were all dressed in black and a little bit of red on them. It’s been a long time, but I think it was their ties? I remember that they couldn’t even throw a decent punch if that’s worth anything. I think that the White Fang can probably be ruled out, I didn’t see any Faunus.”

“You don’t know that, Ruby.” Weiss told her.

“Actually, I think she’s right on this one, Weiss. By the sound of it, that guy had Junior’s goons with him. He’s pretty well known for keeping half-baked thugs at his disposal for hire. They’re cheap, but they’re soft and don’t have formal training. A civilian would be freaked out, but an academy kid could take them on with no problem.” Yang said, glancing over to her younger sister. “You’re right about one thing for sure though. They’re all human. I think it’s a safe thing to assume the white Fang didn’t do this. At least, not directly.”

“Fine, but that still doesn’t change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum.” Weiss told them, firm in her beliefs, if little else. “I stand by what I said before. They’re criminals, and irredeemable ones at that. Even if they didn’t do anything this time, it doesn’t absolve them of their past crimes.”

“That’s not exactly true either…” Yang told her, loud shouts from the docks drawing their attention. A single glance to all of them, and Ruby was off. Her speed was slow enough that she could keep pace with her. The unspoken order was clear.

Like a flipped switch, they changed from arguing teens to the huntresses they aspired to be. The agreement was dropped as they all set off in the direction of the shouting. Running down the streets, they found the Faunus male making a quick getaway from the people chasing him. 

They followed the pursuit down to the docs where the monkey-tailed young man hung upside down with a banana in his hand, harassing the nearby crew of the ship.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 9k words, so very long, but lots of changed content to better fit the narrative. I promised you guys Yang and Ruby would play a much larger role in this arc in relation to their teammates, and I wasn't kidding around. Hope you like it, even for how long it is. Also, Sun and Penny are now in the story.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XLIII**

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 3:30 P.M.)

This was a tall tale in the making, but it was entirely factual. There was no need to inflate the facts. No reason to try, because the sight in front of them seemed impossible. Gawking was permissible in the face of absolute stupidity. That was the only thing Weiss could call it, and even that seemed ill fitting. The monkey Faunus made the worst impression possible. She liked to think of herself as rather open minded when it came to Faunus. Given her family history, she had always received mixed reactions.

Some of her most enlightened contacts would say they understood her conflict. They’d say her efforts were good enough. Some of the wealthiest contacts would question why she would even bother to care about a Faunus in the first place. They’d say she’d lose reputable business that way, and she needed to be mindful of the bigger picture. Then there were the people like her father. The people that would insist that such worries were beneath her. In the end, she stood in the middle of all three ideologies.

She didn’t like Faunus, but she could appreciate that not all of them were out to destroy the human race.

The few Faunus attending Beacon Academy were passive, and Velvet came to mind as one such girl that didn’t explicitly look for a fight. Even though Weiss knew that Velvet was openly harassed by Cardin Winchester, the girl never openly attacked him or his team in the name of self-defense. She was well educated, well mannered, and had a firm head on her shoulders. She was the sort of Faunus that would come highly recommended to those willing to give her half a chance. If there were to be a Faunus in upper management at any company, Weiss was sure it would be a Faunus like Velvet.

It most certainly wouldn’t be the sort of Faunus in front of her now.

This man was different. It was Faunus like him that she hated. The sort that took pleasure in harassing humans with nothing to gain from it. At first, she thought she had to be seeing things, but a few blinks told her that it wasn’t a figment of her imagination. There was a monkey Faunus hanging upside-down with a stolen banana in his hand. He was harassing the crew members. To make everything worse, apparently he had stowed away on the ship. He even took a cheeky sort of pride in it.

“What is that ignoramus doing?!” Weiss asked, affronted at the idea that such a person could even exist.

“Uh, I don’t know.” Ruby murmured, as though she couldn’t make sense of the sight in front of her.

“Well I don’t blame you, no civilized person would ever act that way.” Weiss said, still having trouble making sense of things herself. She just couldn’t understand it. The final straw was his blatant disregard for the police officers that he ignored. “Honestly, who does he think he is?”

“I don’t think he really cares what people think of him, Weiss.” Yang said with a laugh.

“Yes, even if that may be the case, his actions leave something to be desired. I hope they arrest him for disturbing the peace and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”

“I hope they wouldn’t do that, it seems a bit excessive.” Blake said quietly, watching the snickering man that couldn’t be reached.

“He’s not cooperating in the slightest, Blake.” Weiss pointed out. “Just look at him.”

“They’ll probably just ticket him.” Ruby shrugged.

“Unless they can actually prove that he got to Vale illegally. If he doesn’t have a passport, it’s a different end game.” Yang said wearily. “If that’s true, then he’ll be arrested and sent back from wherever he came from. Either way, he looks like he’s having a good time to me.”

“Of course you’d think that.” Weiss sighed under her breath, offering Yang a small glare. She couldn’t agree. This man was all of the worst monkey Faunus stereotypes rolled into one. The sort of hyperbolic story she expected to hear from her father when he ranted about the animals that annoyed him constantly. If she would ever tell this moment to a Faunus supporter, they’d call her a racist.

Knowing that still didn’t erase the image in front of her eyes.

“Well, he isn’t hurting anyone.” Blake said softly. “There is something to be said for that.”

“But he is causing a scene.” Weiss told her.

“A harmless one though.” Blake said, her eyes fixated on the man making the trouble.

Scarfing down his banana and making a few final rebukes he jumped down from his perch in the rudest way possible. He tossed the banana peel in the officer’s face before making a flying leap and running down the street at a full sprint.

“You were saying?” Weiss chipped out.

“Well…  _ mostly _ harmless…” Blake murmured, her bright eyes focused on the man making a swift getaway. Yet, he still somehow found the time to wink in their direction, particularly at her. She couldn’t help but stand there with her mouth hanging open at the display.

Weiss wasn’t sure what she hated more. The fact that she would never be believed if she told this story, or that the man gave her every reason to believe that her father may be right in his assessment of Faunus in general. That perhaps it wasn’t just the White Fang that acted like animals.

“Well, Weiss you wanted to see the competition, and there he goes.” Yang said with a small shrug.

Weiss wasn’t entirely convinced that he could possibly be a student of an academy, but that didn’t matter. He just flouted the authority of the law, and she couldn’t abide that. Beyond that anger, that competitive streak that ran in her family found its way in the back of her mind. If he was an opponent, he was not the sort to be trifled with.

“What are we waiting for?” Weiss snapped as the man turned a corner. “We have to observe him!”

The team seemed to agree on that, following after Weiss as she chased after him down the street. They rounded the corner, both police officers hot on his heels, and the team bringing up the rear. He was nimble and light on his feet, but that didn’t stop their pursuit. Sadly, they wouldn’t be able to keep up.

At the next corner, Weiss collided headfirst into something. Whatever it had been, it was heavy, stopping her in her tracks. The runaway Faunus leapt up one of the buildings. The officers turned the next corner. All three long gone. The stowaway seemed to also be a cunning escape artist on top of everything else.

“Drat!” Weiss sneered, pushing her bangs out of her eyes and scowling up at the building with a renewed sort of fury. “He got away.”

“Hey, uh Weiss…” Yang said, pointing down to the girl Weiss had inadvertently tackled. “Ya got a problem there…”

Blue eyes blinked down only to find that it wasn’t something, it was someone. She had toppled a poor pedestrian to the ground. Weiss jolted in surprise. Finally catching the full sight of the girl beneath her, she got to her feet as quickly as she could. She brushed off her skirt with the express intention to regain her composure, but that was already a lost cause. The girl didn’t seem truly hurt at least, a small saving grace if little else. Though she didn’t seem interested in standing up, either.

“Salutations!” The girl replied, still laying prone with a small grin on her face.

Weiss went ramrod straight, still shocked at the sight in front of her. Judging by the silence of her teammates, they felt the same.

“Uh, hello…” Ruby said softly, politeness and concern beating out her general aversion to strangers. It wasn’t every day that a huntress-in-training nearly bodied a simple girl on the street.

“Are you okay?” Yang asked, knowing that the fall alone could have hurt the girl. She seemed a little dazed, and that was never a good sign.

Blinking up at Yang, she didn’t move from her position. She had been told to be careful out in the streets of Vale. She shouldn’t have wandered away from her protectors, and she had been warned not to become too friendly with the people. There was no changing things now, and she would take the opportunity so rarely afforded to her. After a short breath of contemplation the girl spoke. “I’m wonderful. Thank you for asking…”

Despite that reassurance, it wasn’t what the siblings expected to hear. Even Weiss flicked her gaze to Ruby questioningly. A small shrug and a mirrored glance confirming that the rest of her team was just as clueless as she was. Awkward silence drifted around the group. None of them were quite sure what to make of this incident.

Yang finally voiced the one question they all wanted to ask, but were too self-conscious to do. “Do you…um… want to get up?”

Another heartbeat of silence passed. The girl seemed to consider that question the same as the others before it. It was just long enough for Ruby to think about calling the emergency services. She had probably been hurt by falling to the ground backwards.

She was more than alright, she was happy. The invitation was just the thing that she needed to inspire her. “Yes… I believe that I do,” she said. As though she wasn’t even phased, the girl hopped up effortlessly on two feet.

Ruby wasn’t the only one who took a step backward in response. As a team, their discomfort was shared among them. The redhead certainly seemed cheerful enough, but the way she acted was off-putting to say the least. Silver eyes flicked to her partner. For all she knew, Weiss might see fit to draw her weapon. Weiss didn’t even have a hand on her weapon, and didn’t look ready to reach for it either. On the other hand, this girl didn’t seem normal.

“My name is Penny,” she said to them cheerily. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hey Penny…” Ruby said slowly, offering the girl a small nod of understanding. “I’m Ruby.”

“You may call me Weiss.” An almost imperceptible bow followed her introduction. Her high class sensibilities finally returning to her.

Blake was guarded, a single word falling from her lips. Her name, and nothing more. “Blake.”

“Are you sure you didn’t hit your head?” Yang asked, lacking the social grace to realize that probably wasn’t the best way to phrase the question. Blake backhanded her in the side, amber eyes wordlessly telling Yang that wasn’t the right thing to say. “Oh, um, I’m Yang.”

Penny nodded to all of them with a full smile on her face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

Ruby bristled slightly at the repeated phrase, but Weiss only rolled her eyes in the face of such nonsense.

It wasn’t the first time she had come into contact with a person who tended to repeat themselves. Occasionally, star struck fans did the same thing. Being concise and firm was the best way to handle such a person. “You already said that.” Weiss told the girl, arms crossed over her chest in annoyance.

“Oh…” Penny replied thoughtfully, frowning as she thought about that. She had never been allowed to talk to anyone freely before. Her condition was special, and her father was strict about her social circle. She thought that this girl would be like the rest of the people she knew. That they would turn around and leave her be, but that wasn’t what happened. They stood there and waited. Her eyes lit up as that simple fact dawned on her. They wanted to speak with her. They weren’t going to ignore her like so many other people did. “So I did! I do that sometimes.”

“Riiight…” Yang drawled out.

That was the last straw on a thinning rope. No one really wanted to linger very long in the presence of this woman, Weiss least of all. She had a Faunus to track down, something she couldn’t do while amusing this inane banter. An apology was in order, but so was getting away from this girl as swiftly as possible. “Well, I suppose I can’t fault you for that. I’m sorry I ran into you, but we really must be going now.”

It was just the excuse they needed, and as they all collectively turned to make their escape, Ruby’s mouth failed her. “Take care, friend…”

They barely made it out of earshot before Yang found herself fluffing her hair and sighing. “She was… weird.” Yang said, almost feeling guilty for the observation. She didn’t like passing judgement on random people who didn’t deserve it, but Penny didn’t seem normal.

“Never mind that, it’s over and done with.” Weiss told the resident brawler of the group. “Now then, where did that Faunus riffraff run off to?”

Blake wanted to retort, and even had a few choice words in mind. However, Penny was back in front of them, fast as lightning.

“What did you call me?” Penny asked, getting closer to the group than any of them felt comfortable with.

Weiss and Yang had the decency to look chastised. The blonde was about to issue an apology, but it was Ruby that had Penny’s focus. Green eyes gazing in bewilderment, Penny took a step closer to the shortest member of the team.

“You…” Penny murmured in awe.

“Me?” Ruby squeaked, backing away from the girl who had gotten too close. Personal space seemed completely foreign to the girl. Then again, so did a lot of other things. “I… um… I… I didn’t… I don’t know what…”

“You called me friend.” Penny said, still lost in her own amazement. She could hardly believe it. No one had ever called her that before. She was a daughter, a tool, and even an assistant, but she had never been considered a friend. “Am I really your friend?”

“Um….” Ruby glanced to her team for help, but none of them saw fit to speak up. Instead, the trio started making gestures to indicate that she shouldn’t be talking with this girl any further. Some small part of herself completely agreed. Another small part felt sorry for the girl. If anything, Ruby knew firsthand how it felt to be the odd one out of the group.

Friend was such a simple word to say, but in practice it was difficult. Making friends and keeping them was one of the hardest things in life that she had ever gone through. For some people it didn’t come easy, herself included.

This brought Ruby to an unpopular decision. “Yeah, sure. Why not?”

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 4:30 P.M.)

Sun had easily escaped the officers that were chasing him. They’d given up once he’d gotten to higher ground and leapt across several rooftops. His newest perch was among one of the many high buildings looking over Vale. Holding his scroll in front of him, he offered his friends and fellow teammates a grin. “I’m already here. Told you this would be faster.”

They sent him unamused looks from the small screen in reply.

Scarlet, always one to have a flair for dramatics, rolled his eyes and flicked his head to the side to remove his long hair out of his way. “We told you it would be a stupid idea too, but you had to go off on your own anyway…”

“You okay, Neptune?” He asked then. “Your eyes are all weird looking.”

“I’m feeling fine for now.” Neptune nodded. “I’m just very sleepy.”

“You’re drugged… I’m surprised you’re not drooling on the floor anymore.” Scarlet told his teammate before turning his gaze back to the screen.

“You’ve been doing drugs?!” Sun shouted. “Man, what’s wrong with you? You’ll never pass the piss test if you’re drugging up!”

“I’ve got the paperwork.” Sage assured. “It was just a little something to help him relax, issued by the school nurse.”

“It was the only way to get him on the stupid boat.” Scarlet added. “You know he hates water…”

“Which is why my best bud should have been here to support me instead of going off on his own.” Neptune said with a frown. “But nooo, you had to leave me here with Sage.”

Sage merely raised an eyebrow. “I got you on the boat, didn’t I?”

“Aw, Nep you would have freaked out. We hit a storm the other day, the boat was going nuts.” Sun told him with a laugh. “Actually, it was tons of fun, you guys should have come with me…”

“There is not enough anti-anxiety medication on the planet to get me to go on some wild water adventure with you.” Neptune shot out. “It’s bad enough I’m on this stupid thing! I don’t know why I let you guys talk me into this.”

“Airships are for upperclassmen, there was no way we could afford our tickets and our grades wouldn’t cover us.” Sun shrugged. “The boat was the only way, but you’re okay. Sage and Scarlet won’t let you drown in the big bad ocean.”

“Real comforting, thanks…” Neptune muttered exhaustedly. He eyed his pill bottle, realizing he was due for another heavy dose in less than two hours. There was no way he’d let himself miss it and spiral into a panic attack. Even that made him nervous. He shook his head and tried to put it out of his mind the best that he could.

“We finally just said you were sea sick and didn’t want to be bothered, Sun. At this rate, we’re just lucky they haven’t tried to get into the cabin to check on you.” Sage went on to say, handing Neptune a soda that was sitting on a nearby dresser. “Drink that…”

“Thanks…” Neptune looked down at the caffeine free drink, popping the top and taking a swig.

“Just keep up the good work.” Sun praised, putting a thumb up to show that he highly approved.

“Unpaid…” Scarlet said. “We might have to change that and make this worth it for us, too.”

“Huh? Oh no way!” Sun scoffed. “You owed me for all the nights you guys broke curfew to go on hot dates… Dates that I never got to go on might I add…”

“A few hours and a few days are completely different things.” Sage bit out dryly, knowing that Sun wasn’t really listening to the scolding.

“I knew you guys could handle it.” Sun said, still riding high off of his escape. He felt like the king of the world, sitting atop the skyscraper and looking down at all of the people milling about below. After being cooped up in the storeroom of a ship, it felt good to be out in the open air. He could feel the breeze against his skin, and bask in the warm sunlight. With a belly full of fruit and a wonderful sight in front of him, nothing could get him down. “Hey, look at this. It’s a great view…”

“Sun…” Scarlet sighed deeply. “Be serious here.”

“I am, man. Really, look at it. Vale’s so cool and there’s a lot to see. We’re going to have the time of our lives, I can feel it.”

“I think you’ve gone crazy staying in a dark storage room for days.” Neptune complained. “Sage is right though. I don’t know how much longer we can keep this up.”

“At this rate, not very long.” Sage spoke thoughtfully, closing the textbook in his hand to neatly set it off to the side. “I’d say they’re going to find out anyway when they do the final inspections before we actually get off the boat.”

“Well you’ll get here soon. Then I can just get on the boat and show up like I was there the whole time.” Sun told him, a trio of groans meeting his ears over the poor scroll connection. The video feed cut out completely, and the static seemed to progressively get worse. Finally it came back as though it had never left. “It’s no biggie. Now I can scope the place out.”

“It’ll be a miracle if we’re not disqualified at this point.” Sage replied as Neptune collapsed backwards onto one of the beds.

“They’ll do worse than that if they find out Sun’s been gone the whole time.” Neptune added darkly.

“Between you and Sun, we already have the highest detention record for our team in all of Haven anyway.” Scarlet laughed. “Another one won’t kill us.”

“That’s assuming we even get detention this time.” Neptune said, hand lifting up to run through his hair only to come away sticky from all the gel. He scowled down at his hand as he scrubbed it off on his jeans, but his point still stood out as a valid concern. “I wonder if we’ll even get that lucky.”

“Don’t worry Nep, I’ve got us covered.” Sun told him. “I looked into it. We can’t be disqualified from the tournament unless we actively cheat or try to sabotage it. It’s in the handbook.”

“Dude! Lionheart is totally on to you.” Neptune said, sitting back up to look back at the screen. “We might not get disqualified because of the handbook, but he’s our headmaster. He can keep us from participating because you broke the school rules.”

“Nah, we’re buddies. He wouldn’t do that to me.” Sun said, his tail flicking against the breeze. “Besides, we’re some of the best he’s got. We’ll win the preliminary fights no problem. He won’t take us out. If we play our cards right, we’re going to be on live television.”

“You’d better be right about that…” Scarlet said, brushing his long red locks out of his face.

“I know I am. You can trust me.” Sun said, his word as good as a promise. Then he stood up and stretched. “Hey, I’ve got to bounce and check some things out. Let me know when you get close to the docks. I’ll meet you guys there. See ya.”

“Just don’t get arrested.” Neptune begged. “I don’t want to have to explain that to Lionheart too…”

“I won’t man, I swear. Catch you guys later. I got to find a place to arm up for the fights, I’m out of dust.” Sun said, waving goodbye as he hung up his scroll and pocketed it. He had some exploring to do.

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 4:30 P.M.)

Ruby wanted to think that her day was going pretty well, all things considered. Despite a few rough patches, she’d even made a new friend in the process.

At first her team was obviously less than thrilled with her decision. She had to admit, agreeing to be Penny’s friend was a strange thing to do. To Ruby, that didn’t matter. She even felt better for doing it. Penny was overjoyed, and that’s all that Ruby cared about at the time. In her excitement, Penny’s words echoed ones that Ruby had said herself in the past when hoping to form new bonds.

In that, they were kindred spirits.

Weiss was the first one to change her tune. Offering a backhanded remark at Ruby was her way of offering a concealed compliment to the girl in front of them. There was once a time Ruby would have taken that as a direct insult, but now she knew better. Weiss was merely accepting the girl in her own prickly way. She wasn’t particularly warm towards others, especially people she had just met. It was the best Ruby could hope for, and she took that as the small victory that it was.

As they got to talking, Ruby learned a lot about Penny. The girl was here to fight in the tournament, and that meant they’d easily cross paths at Beacon while Penny stayed in the dorms there. Maybe they’d even cross paths in the arena, and that thought was rather exciting. Weiss remained skeptical that Penny really was a capable fighter. Despite her doubts, she interrogated Penny about the monkey Faunus anyway, in hopes to find a lead.

That’s when everything went downhill...

Like a bloodhound she wouldn’t stop until her goal was complete. The search for the runaway Faunus was still on, and she had every intention of finding him much to Blake’s dismay. Weiss was sorely displeased that Blake wasn’t supporting her decision. Blake was irate because of the words Weiss had used to describe the Faunus in question. The two were fighting just like they used to when they’d first met. Only this time, it was far worse.

First they argued on the principle of insults, and if they had left it at that, Ruby would have broken up the fight. This went beyond that, deep into a territory she couldn’t meaningfully speak to. This was the sort of argument she often saw splattered across televised council debates. Except this time it was taking place in front of her very eyes.

“Uh, Yang…”

“Don’t even try it, Ruby.” Yang sighed, watching as Weiss began to gesture wildly to inanimate objects and state their basic definitions. As if that somehow gave her the right to define a thinking and feeling person in the exact same way. The only problem was, she was correct in her assumptions. What they’d seen at the docks didn’t look good, and even though Yang had kept her nose out of it, Weiss had a point.

Rude as it was, the facts were still the same. He had broken the law…

By definition he was a rapscallion, and a degenerate. Yang simply didn’t think much about it. After all, she’d had her own brushes with the law over the years. Getting into bar fights, and snooping around had given her a small record of her own.

“But…” Ruby murmured watching the verbal warzone escalate. “Yang, they’re really fighting this time.”

“Yep.” Yang agreed, popping the word against her lips. “They sure are…”

It was then that Weiss crossed a line. She was sure that the Faunus male would join up with the White Fang, an accusation that never should have been made lightly.

“Oh no…”

“Yeah….”

“Maybe I should-”

“Nope! This is something they’ve got to fight out on their own terms. Let’s give them a second and see if they burn themselves out.” Yang said, knowing she couldn’t expect Ruby to play the mind games of Blake Belladonna. Yang barely understood them herself, but the girl was a wounded soul. Distrustful and heavily guarded. Weiss was the same, and it was the perfect storm for them to lash out at each other.

“From what I can figure out, Weiss is an heiress, and Blake spent most of her life on the road.” Yang went on to explain. “That’s why they fight all the time. A small blowout might do them both a little bit of good.”

“I don’t think they’re like us, Sis.”

“I don’t know, but waiting to see is the only way to find out.”

There was only one thing Yang was sure of. As much as Weiss was entitled to her opinion, Blake was right too.

Weiss couldn’t just talk about another person that way. She couldn’t just objectify them. She couldn’t just assume that he was part of an organization like the White Fang just because he annoyed a few officers. The Faunus was a person, not a thing, and years of slavery had made that a touchy subject throughout history. It wouldn’t be erased, and humans who looked down on Faunus made their lives far more difficult than it ever needed to be. As a Schnee, it made everything that came flying out of her mouth so much worse…

Yet, Weiss didn’t seem to notice that.

“You are a judgmental little girl…” Blake said, gritting her teeth in anger.

“What in the world makes you say that?” Weiss shot back, arms crossed.

“The mere fact that you would sort that Faunus boy with the terrorist group, solely based on his species, makes you just as much of a scoundrel as you believe him to be.” Blake stated harshly, unwilling to let go of that position.

“So you admit it, the White Fang really is just a radical group of terrorists…”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it!”

“All I know is what I saw.” Weiss bit out. “And what I saw was a man admitting to being a stowaway, hitting an officer of the law in the face with a banana, and then running away like it wasn’t a big deal!”

“Yeah, and guess what you don’t know?”

“What?”

“Anything!” Blake had to fight to keep the snarl out of her voice. “You don’t know what brought him to that point. You don’t know what kind of life he’s had. You don’t even know why he’s in Vale. You don’t know anything except for what you saw. You don’t even know if he’s part of the White Fang! You just assume he is, or will be soon enough. You go around defaming that poor Faunus, aligning him with people you call terrorists over a stupid banana in the face?!”

“If the shoe fits…”

A heated sigh slipped through Blake’s teeth. Weiss didn’t understand, she was too privileged to really get it. As much as Blake knew that, it didn’t take the sting out of the girl’s words. In fact, it made every scathing remark hurt even more than the last. Blake wanted to emulate her father’s teachings. Education was his tool, but she had never been able to sway the hearts of the people like he could. She didn’t care for public speaking. Didn’t want to be the center of attention.

In spite of that, she tried again. Tried to teach, regardless of her anger. Tried to speak, when all she wanted to do was beat that pompous ideal out of the girl by force. It wasn’t easy to contain the hurt and hold back the rage. However, she had her pride.

She’d never be able to call herself an alpha female if she resorted to beating a human bloody. If she fell to pure instinct, acting like the animal humans accused Faunus of being, she would never forgive herself. Faunus were above that, and she absolutely couldn’t fall so low. She wouldn’t give Weiss the ammunition.

So, education it was. As futile as it was. Blake had to try.

“Think about that Weiss!” Blake snapped. “Think real hard…”

“I’ve thought plenty, it’s you who hasn’t.” Weiss snapped back icily. “You don’t care to think about this at all.”

“You say that, but you’re the one not thinking this through. One thing does not lead directly into the other.”

“It’s a slippery slope, a story I’ve heard time and time again.”

“By who? An actual Faunus, or people who just hate them for no good reason? I doubt it was a Faunus. I doubt you know their stories. I don’t think you even care enough to listen to one. The only person who would even think like you, would be a narrow-minded person who assumes the worst.”

“I have no reason to think otherwise!”

“You can’t lump anyone into a category like that, but you do! You project all of your childish opinions on a person you haven’t even met yet!”

With the fight seeming to have no end in sight, Yang decided they needed to get their teammates out of there before they drew a crowd. It was the last thing any of them needed right now. The only question was how to do it quickly and quietly. Ruby kept regressing further into her cape, as if she could hide from it. Penny just watched curiously.

“Maybe we should get them out of here…” Yang said to Ruby, hoping to pull her sister’s attention from the quickly spiraling shouting match.

Her younger sister only nodded in reply. “Yeah, good idea… but how? They’re both really mad…”

“Okay, look um… if you take Weiss left, I can take Blake right. Split them up. Then we can go around the back alley in opposite directions and make our way to the airships.” Yang suggested. “We’ve got to get them back to Beacon somehow, so we will take different ones. I’ll take Blake the long way around, so that we won’t be on the same flight. Maybe we can cool our partners down before they start really duking it out.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Ruby said nervously. “I’ll do what I can with Weiss but you know how she gets…”

“I know.” Yang agreed. “I’ve got a better shot with Blake. Just do what you can, okay?”

“Yeah…”

“Ruby.” Yang said, using the soft authority that became custom in the family ever since they had been children. It pulled her sister’s gaze to her, her sister seeming so small in the face of this mess. “It’s okay. We’ll figure it out. We always do.”

“If you’re going back to Beacon, can I come too?” Penny asked. “I should be going there too.”

“No I’m sorry, Penny.” Yang said to the girl before her sister could agree. “I don’t think you should come with us. This is a… team thing… it’s not for other people to be around.”

Penny frowned down at the rejection, but she understood it. “Alright.”

“Yeah, but we can hang out later on, okay?” Ruby said hopefully. “I meant what I said about being friends. I just… they’re my team, you know?”

Penny nodded. “It’s alright, Ruby. We’ll see each other another time.”

The sisters made their way over to the fighting pair to break up the argument.

Weiss was already deep into another scathing retort when Ruby made it to her side, and Yang to Blake’s. They separated the two girls, both of them still shouting at each other as Yang finally dragged Blake away from the argument. She didn’t know why Blake was so angry, but she knew that Weiss would be harder to reason with.

Ruby would have her work cut out for her.

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 5:00 P.M.)

It wasn’t until they rounded a few of the narrow alleyway corners that Yang finally let go of Blake’s hand. She had been protesting the entire time. When Yang finally let her go, the girl rounded, heading back in the direction they came from. Yang wouldn’t let her. The blond didn’t want to be so forceful, but Blake hadn’t given her a choice. There was only one other option, and Yang took it. Pinning Blake against a dumpster, her semblance started flaring.

“Stop fighting me!” Yang yelled, eyes burning red as she glared at her partner. “What are you, an idiot?”

“Let me go, Yang.” Blake said, her voice taking on a threat.

“Why, so you can go start more shit with Weiss? Let everyone in Vale see you fighting like that? Like hell am I going to let you do that…”

“That’s not really your choice.” Blake bit out.

“The hell it isn’t.” Yang told her. “You want to get in the tabloids, go ahead. Go piss and moan some more. You’ll be front page news if you keep that up, front and center. You really want that?”

“Maybe I do at this point. It’ll let the world know just who Weiss Schnee truly is.”

With a newfound anger, Yang’s voice became dangerously quiet. “Sure, great, that’s really mature. There’s just one problem.”

“What’s that?” Blake bit out.

“That’s the last thing that I need, and it’s sure as hell the last thing that Ruby needs. You better settle down and listen to me right now. Here’s the thing. Right now, this isn’t just your partner talking to you. Right now, before everything else, I’m Ruby’s big sister.” Yang said, and it wasn’t a threat, it was a promise. “It’s been her dream to come to Beacon Academy. If you fuck this up for her just because you’re pissed off, I’ll never forgive you. You need to stop and think about this before you do something you regret.”

“I am, Yang. I’ve thought about this more than you know.” Blake told her. “It’s Weiss who isn’t thinking. You should be telling this to her, not me.”

“It’s both of you.” Yang said, shaking her head. “I’m not letting you off this trashcan unless I have your promise that you’re not going to go back there and start another shit show. The last one was bad enough.”

“Fine.” Blake agreed, if only because the smell was sickening to her nose. “Let me go.”

“I mean it. Try to get away from me again, and I’ll carry you back over my shoulder.” Yang said, blinking her eyes. The red wouldn’t recede, she was too angry for that right now. With that promise, Yang slowly let Blake out of her hands, still close enough to be recaptured if Yang absolutely wanted to. “What you and Weiss do in public matters to all of us, and you need to remember that.”

“If we’re that rabid, maybe Ruby needs to put a bigger collar around all of us.” Blake said, the growl in her voice undetectable to human hearing. She could feel the soundless rumble deep in her chest.

“She won’t.” Yang said with a shake of her head as she began walking down the garbage riddled path. “Not her style.”

“What Weiss said was out of line.”

“Yeah, no shit…”

“Then why didn’t you say anything?”

“I don’t know. Ever think maybe it was because you two idiots didn’t give us a chance to say what we thought? Maybe because you never asked?”

“Weiss didn’t seem to care what any of us thought!”

“The same goes for you. You were just as bad as Weiss. You could have asked for backup, could have asked me or Ruby our opinion, but you were too busy giving Weiss a lecture to even think about asking me or Ruby.” Yang said, and that was the thing that hurt the worst. “I would have had your back, but you never asked.”

“It sounds to me like you’re taking her side.”

“I’m not doing that either.” Yang sighed. “Don’t you get it? You two go on like that, and Ruby freaks out. Besides, no matter how you feel about the Faunus, it’s not our fight Blake.”

“Weiss is too narrow minded. Her views are damaging, and someone needs to get that into her head.”

“It’s. Not. Our. Fuckin’. Fight!” Yang said, eyes still red, anger still lingering there. “I’m an ally to the Faunus, same as you. That’s it, that’s all we can be. If a Faunus asks for my help, I’m there in a heartbeat. That’s what being an ally is, but we can’t fight their fight for them. It’s not our cause, and it’s not our life. The only person that’s going to change her mind is a Faunus, and that’s the only person who has a right to try. When it happens, I’ll be there. Until then, you need to keep your mouth shut.”

“But Faunus are abused in the streets every day, and a lot of times human negligence is to blame. Her family has the power to make changes, and they refuse to. Don’t you think that’s just a little problematic?”

“Yeah, I do, but that’s the way things are. Besides, you’re not giving Weiss any credit. That’s your fault, not hers. I know that if Weiss comes across a Faunus in trouble, she would help them. If a Faunus asked for help, she would help them.”

“No, Yang, she wouldn’t.”

“Yeah, she would. The humans would see what she’s capable of. You can bet on that. I know that I do.”

“You’re placing your bets in the wrong person then.”

“No I’m not.” Yang shot back. “I just know it goes both ways, which is something you don’t seem to get.”

“You don’t know that.” Blake said softly, anger flooding her voice along with the weight of feeling defeated. “She’s never stood up for the needs of the Faunus, and there’s no proof that she’s ever going to start.”

“No matter how she feels about Faunus, she cares about being a huntress more.” Yang said, feeling emotionally wrung out to dry. “That’s why I know she’d do it. Weiss sometimes has her head so far up her ass that she sees daylight out of her mouth, but she takes being a huntress seriously. You can’t argue that.”

“I am arguing that, Yang. I don’t think she’s nearly as genuine in her desire to help others as you believe her to be.”

“She wouldn’t let an innocent person be hurt, not on her watch. If you doubt that even a little, maybe you’re the one with the problem, not Weiss.”

* * *

(Kingdom of Vale: Friday, 5:00 P.M.)

She was so furious. A profound sort of anger that had her chest burning and mind throbbing. Blake Belladonna was the cause of it, but Ruby Rose was the one currently in the path of it. A sensible person would stay out of matters that didn’t concern them, but her teammates were hardly the sensible type.

Although Weiss had been routinely working out with Yang when her body permitted it, she wasn’t nearly as strong as Ruby when it came down to brute force. The girl was small, but her core was full of muscle. It just wasn’t nearly as defined as her elder sister. Still, Ruby’s grip made breaking free impossible, and the girl wouldn’t listen to reason, seeming to have lost her mind.

“Ruby Rose, what are you doing?” Weiss demanded to know as Ruby pulled her further away from the rest of the team.

There was no avoiding it. Weiss would be angry no matter what she said. In the end, Ruby just blurted it out. “I’m going back to Beacon, and I’m taking you with me.”

“I never stated that I planned to do that.” Weiss said, digging her heels into the concrete for all of the good that it did her. It was none at all. Stumbling forward, she grit her teeth as she was dragged along. “I demand you release me this instant.”

Ruby looked over her shoulder at the rage aimed directly at her. It was intimidating, but nowhere near as much as it used to be. “No.”

“If you don’t let go of my wrist, you’ll leave me no choice but to retaliate.” Weiss insisted. “Don’t force me to skewer you.”

“Can you maybe not do that?” Ruby asked her. “I’d have to fight back, and one of us might get hurt.”

“Ruby, I’m warning you…”

“You keep saying it, but you haven’t stabbed me yet.”

“I will, you just mark my words.”

“Weiss…” Ruby sighed, slowing her pace but not stopping entirely. “Just stop, okay? I’ll let go of you once we get to the airships.”

“You’ll do it right here and now, Ruby.” Weiss demanded yet again as it fell onto deaf ears. “What nerve, you presume to tell me what I should and shouldn’t do. As if you have any say in the matter at all. Stop this at once, it’s absurd! Besides, I wasn’t finished yet.”

“If you go back there, you’ll just make Blake mad again.” Ruby argued, feeling her lips quiver as she fought to keep her voice in check. She really didn’t like being yelled at, especially not by Weiss. “That’ll make Yang mad at all of us.”

“That really isn’t my problem.”

The way Weiss said that hurt. They were a team, weren’t they? Didn’t that matter? Didn’t that make it her problem too? Ruby stopped in her tracks. Suddenly her legs felt like jelly. Her thumb ran over that slender wrist, the tension there still as strong as ever.

Weiss didn’t want to be here. She wasn’t interested in making anything better.

“You’re right.” Ruby admitted softly. “It’s not your problem. It’s mine…”

Weiss couldn’t get the iron grip off of her wrist no matter how she flailed. Her partner was more than happy to crumple herself in a corner, holding on tight as she buried her face into her knees. “Ruby! What’s gotten into you?!”

“I’m sorry…” Ruby said quietly. “I know I’m still a bad leader sometimes, but I’m doing the best I can.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Weiss chipped out, unsure where this new outburst had come from. “This is ridiculous...”

“You’re just going to go fight with Blake…” Ruby said, her head shaking back and forth in refusal. “I am supposed to tell you to do stuff, but I’m bad at it. I keep saying I’ll get better at it, but then I mess it all up again…”

Weiss hated nonsense, but here Ruby was spewing more of it. She felt as if her sanity was already pushed to the limit, and this girl tested it further by the second. “Stop being foolish, it isn’t very becoming for a team leader.”

“But that’s just it. I’m not becoming a leader… I’m not becoming anything…”

“Are you crying?” Weiss asked incredulously.

“No, but I want to…” Ruby sniffled, grabbing her cloak and pulling it over her head.

“Here…” Weiss deadpanned. “In the middle of nowhere…”

“I keep letting you guys fight...” Ruby murmured then. “I think it’s starting to go good, then something bad happens and it’s like we’re back at the start all over again. I must not be a very good leader at all.”

Weiss felt her lips thin into a tight, thin line. The scowl on her face transforming from one of rage into one of thoughtful annoyance. “You do realize you have nothing to do with any of this, don’t you?”

Ruby didn’t budge, wouldn’t lift her head. She looked more like a child cowering than a respectable team leader. “I don’t know what to do…”

“Indeed.” Weiss said softly, her words frosting over. Ruby just didn’t understand. She couldn’t. The girl was a bleeding heart in that way, trying to take on responsibility that was never hers to have in the first place. It was such a misguided thing, but that was Ruby’s way of interacting with the world. “You’re not to blame for this. You must understand that. You weren't the one defending that miscreant Faunus. You didn’t do anything wrong, and Blake’s failure to see reason isn’t your burden.”

“But I can’t lead the team, not if it’s going to keep ending up like this.”

“I will sort this out with Blake immediately, you have my word on that.” Weiss said, determined to settle this matter in a way that would demand satisfaction. “She will come to fathom the magnitude of the situation.”

“You’re going to yell at her, aren’t you?”

“You should be the one to scold her.” Weiss replied with a small huff. “However, I am your partner, and I promised you that I would be the best one you ever had. I’d be remiss to allow this transgression of hers to go on unaddressed.”

“You promised not to fight anymore…” Ruby worried about that most of all. That no matter what, they’d still keep fighting. That she wouldn’t be able to control it. “But, Yang told me that you guys had to fight this time. That it wasn’t something we could stop, but it just got worse and we had to. You wouldn’t stop.”

“People argue, it happens every single day.” Weiss told her. “Some things are worth fighting about.”

“Yeah, but not like that… Why do the two of you do it like that? Why are you so… mean to each other?”

Weiss let a breath spill from her nose. There were so many things to say, but most would be lost to a person like Ruby Rose. She wasn’t a socialite. She had never had to deal with the press on a vast scale. The media was outrageous, the expectations were daunting, and the SDC faced ridicule often. For Weiss, it had become the static in the background of her life. Faunus were to blame, but Blake had no intention of understanding that. She was too busy defending Faunus to see just how unforgivable the White Fang truly were.

Not all Faunus were worth the effort, not all Faunus were worth all of the pain they caused. It was a Faunus that had been the crux of this fight. A Faunus that should have been punished for breaking the law. It was that simple, but Blake had made it complicated.

When Weiss considered that, it was no wonder why Ruby was so distraught. Another sigh permeated the air. She would fix this. A promise was a promise.

“We’re mean because this fight matters to us, Ruby. You lived a simple life on a tiny little island. The world is far larger than that. You’ve come to Beacon to learn. If there’s one thing you taught me, there’s far more to our schooling than just textbooks and theories.” Weiss said, her fury wasn’t abated in the slightest, but allowing Ruby to pout wouldn’t do her any good either. “I will speak to Blake once again. Make no mistake about that. For now, let’s just go back to Beacon…”

* * *

(Beacon Academy: Friday, 6:30 P.M.)

By the time Blake and Yang got back to the academy, dinner was already in the middle of being served. Ruby and Weiss were already halfway finished with their trays, sitting among the members of team JNPR. The silence across the table was heavy, uncomfortable. Ruby greeted the return of her teammates softly, but Weiss merely sat there stabbing at her salad and placing it into her mouth. If looks could kill, Blake would have dropped dead, but the same was true in reverse.

“So you never found the guy?” Jaune asked at the worst possible time. Pyrrha pinched his side from under the table, her expression unchanging as he let out a sound between a yell and a squeak. For her part, Pyrrha only lifted her water to her lips when Jaune looked at her as though she had grown a second head.

“Of course not.” Weiss told him after she finished chewing. “As I told you, he got away.”

Ruby poked at her own food, but she wasn’t particularly in the mood to eat. “We did the best we could.”

“It happens to the best of us.” Pyrrha said earnestly. “On occasions like these it’s best to take a moment of respite. Do you find dinner unappealing, Ruby?”

“You’ve been poking at it for a while.” Jaune added.

“It’s okay…” Ruby told them. “I’m just not very hungry.”

“Stop moping.” Weiss ordered, pointing at Ruby’s meal. “I told you, I would handle this later, and I will.”

“Handle what?” Yang asked.

“You  _ know _ what, Yang…”

“Hey guys, don’t let it get you down.” Nora replied, a double cheeseburger in hand. “It’s probably better that the guy got away.”

“How can you say that?” Weiss asked, glaring across the table at Nora.

“Hmm, maybe it’s just because I’m a village girl.” Nora shrugged, taking a huge bite. “Gotta remember, the police inside of the kingdoms are way different than village guards. If they managed to catch him in a village, they could deal with things the same day. The village leader would make the final decision about what to do. Inside the kingdoms, there’s laws and trials, and a whole big mess.”

“Nora, please don’t talk with your mouth full.” Ren murmured.

“Sorry Ren,” she said, gulping down her bite. “Anyway, prisons are overcrowded as it is. You’ve got to remember that it’s really expensive to keep a person locked up for days. It takes away money from other places. Kingdoms have a lot of other things that need funding. In my opinion, the less meaningless arrests, the better.”

“You’re right, Nora.” Blake said, feeling a tiny string of vindication at the chipper girl’s logic. It finally felt like someone understood. “In that we agree.”

“I mean, my dad told stories about some of the villages he’s visited…” Jaune said then. “My grandpa too, it’s not always better.”

“It depends on the person in charge. You can’t keep a person locked up for very long in the smaller ones. They have maybe a handful of cells at most, and they’re usually saved for really dangerous people.” Nora told him. “In most villages if he didn’t actually hurt anyone, they’d probably just let him go. Then they’d warn him not to come back. If he was from the village, he’d have debts to pay and community service to do or something.”

“This isn’t a village.” Weiss said dryly.

“Right, but if he’s really a bad guy they’ll catch him next time.” Nora told her. “One great thing about kingdoms is that you can always call for lots of backup, and if it’s a really huge problem, they’ll call in help from Beacon to assist in the arrest.”

“I sure hope they do.” Weiss replied, only mildly appeased. “The professors wouldn’t tolerate such insubordination. He’d be captured quickly.”

“Well, I for one, think villages deal with trespassers much more fairly than kingdoms do.” Blake told her. “Especially when it comes to Faunus.”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t know about Faunus specifically. Maybe you’re right though.” Nora shrugged, she didn’t care to dwell on it. “Most villages are small though, everyone matters. Besides, it’s the Grimm you have to worry about. If there’s one thing that makes us all the same in every village, it’s that…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 8/20/2020.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things. Firstly sorry for the long wait. I managed to overwork myself in the yard and made myself a little ill. So, that's reason number 1 why this is so late.
> 
> Secondly, Woes Be Gone has started up university classes, and therefore has not beta-read this chapter. Our schedules simply didn't line up, and neither of us can promise that they always will, so you may see many more non-betaed chapters in the future.
> 
> Anyway, here's the big warzone between Weiss and Blake, enjoy...

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XLIV**

(Beacon Academy Apartments: Friday, 8:00 P.M.)

“You should not have strayed so far from the ship.” Ozpin sighed, looking at the girl who had been placed into his care for the time being. He focused his thoughts on temperance, although the guards she had slipped away from were less than pleased. “You could have been hurt.”

“Yes sir, I know and I’m sorry.” Penny said, looking down at her hands when the severity in Ozpin’s gaze became too much. This wasn’t the first scolding she had received for wandering off on her own.

Through the dark lenses of his glasses, he hid the annoyed heat in his eyes. She had no way to understand just how much trouble she could have gotten into. It was imperative that she took matters more seriously. “If something were to happen to you, your father would be very upset. Furthermore, the repair modules we have are very limited. Just because you’re mostly machine doesn’t mean you’re invincible, and you need to understand that when your guardians order you to do something in your best interest, you must obey that order.”

“Of course.” Penny said quietly.

“Why did you wander off to begin with?”

“I’ve never gotten the chance to see Vale before. I wanted to see it for myself, but nobody would take me.”

“That’s because we’re very busy. We don’t have time to amuse childish whims at the moment.” Ozpin told her, the full weight of that statement exhausted him. At this, he pinched his brow. The Penny experiment was a complete success, but it came along with one small issue. The girl was young in her mind. Though she looked to be a teenager, emotionally she was stunted. Like all living beings, life experience came with time. In some ways, she was just a little girl in a body far too old for her. Penny simply needed time to apply all of the knowledge that had been given to her. Books and tutors could not replace lived experience. “You must remember that although you’ve been approved to enter the tournament, there are special rules you must follow.”

“I know that it’s for my own good.” Penny murmured.

Ozpin began reaching for his cane and standing up. It was then he softened his voice, gentling it into a tone that years of being a headmaster afforded him. Children were brash as youngsters, and often broke clearly defined rules to test the boundaries. Although Penny wasn’t a flesh and blood girl, he fully expected the same trouble from her that he expected of all youths. She had a mind, after all. “I have a meeting I must attend. I won’t place you within the dormitories for obvious reasons. Therefore, this will be your room for the time being. Stay here until James comes to collect you. That is an order, not a request.”

Penny made a soft sound to agree, and Ozpin took his leave of the small studio apartment the girl would be staying in.

He couldn’t help but ruminate on the girl and her special situation. Her mere existence would be controversial. The public wouldn’t take kindly to what would be seen as an inhumane experiment of mankind. They had to toe this line lightly. Treating the girl as a person, raising her as one, while accepting that there were some things that Penny would never be. 

Of course her mental well-being was of utmost importance, but her mere existence demanded discretion.

As Ozpin passed the gardens, he bit the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. The whole matter was far too complex to take lightly, but the girl was growing quickly. She wanted some level of independence, she craved it. There needed to be a compromise somehow. Neither himself, nor the general for that matter, had discovered just what that would be.

He remembered the day he had received a call about the project. Ironwood had been elated to report that souls could in fact be placed into a body that wasn’t made of flesh and bone. With this one leap, cybernetic testing could become far more advanced. More importantly, for the wounded left paralyzed with no hope of recovery, a new option presented itself. The concept that a soul could be removed and transferred entirely into a separate host. That it could be done without the soul itself being compromised, something that was previously thought to be impossible.

It had never been done before, and far more research was needed, but the thought was invigorating.

Ascending the elevator to his office, he found that some of his most trusted allies awaited him. He wasn’t particularly surprised at this, but it wasn’t common for his office to be bombarded with the three of them at once. “I didn’t realize that three of you were needed to make a simple report.” He joked mildly.

“If it were simple, Ozpin, we’d have no need to continue patrolling the streets.” Peter grumbled. “It simply isn’t.”

“In my experience, few things ever are.” Ozpin relented.

“The more I look into this matter, the more disgusted I am. You’d think the proper authorities would take a sterner approach to these grievances, but it has become obvious to me that such a thing hasn’t happened. The robberies are truly ramping up.” Peter said, slapping a report onto the large desk. The most recent string of crimes perpetrated in Vale agitated the man to his core. “Look at that, it’s abysmal! I cannot believe the police have taken such a blatant disregard to the safety of the people.”

“So I’ve been made aware.” Ozpin replied. “I’m concerned too, but there is a proper way to proceed.”

“So you often tell me.” Peter grumbled in return. “Really, if I had my way about it I’d ignore all of this red tape slung around by the council.” 

“If we did that, we’d hardly be able to pride ourselves as a kingdom, now would we?” Ozpin chuckled.

“I suppose not.” Peter said dryly. “Really, we should be sending in a team of forensic scientists from Beacon to collect the data ourselves. I believe it would prove useful.”

“That is the job of our police force.” Ozpin said, hands tented at his desk as he looked down at the report. Every kingdom relied on its council to deal with public proceedings. This included key safety concerns such as emergency services. Law enforcement within the kingdoms fell into the council’s hands. Simply ripping that obligation away from them would raise eyebrows. In the worst cases it could cause public panic. 

“Then we should pull the jurisdiction of these robberies into our own hands.” Glynda told him. “It is believed that the White Fang are the ones involved, and Raven corroborated that these robberies would continue to occur. I have every reason to believe that this is no longer a civilian matter. From that standpoint, I think we can all agree that something must be done.”

“While I would agree with you, we still require the council to approve this matter.” Ozpin murmured thoughtfully. “My hands are tied.”

“Then we should open a second investigation into another person, someone besides Roman Torchwick.” Bartholomew said then, restlessly pacing from one end of the room to the other. A detailed list of the stolen dust supplies in his hand crinkled and rustled with every turned page. The sloppily written notes from the detectives were leaving much to be desired. “I don’t believe we’ll locate him quickly, but we might be able to find out where this dust is going if we can find a separate trail.”

Ozpin had been considering that too, but from a far different perspective. “I suppose you have a person in mind?”

“Several, although one stands out. Hei Xiong is a small time crook as far as we know. In fact, we initially disregarded what seemed to be little more than a conspiracy theory when Roman Torchwick became the focus of our investigation into these robberies. Roman was the one identified at the scene, and therefore it made sense to focus our attention on him. However, upon further investigation, Mr. Xiong seems to have contacts spreading across the kingdom. It’s not out of the realm of possibility to think that he may be involved. Particularly if the reports from Raven are anything to go by.”

“If that’s so, bring him in for questioning.” Ozpin shrugged. “You hardly need my approval for that, nor do we need to abide the council when it comes to matters that extend outside the reaches of civilian life.”

“While that’s true, I think that by arresting him we lose sight of the bigger picture.” Glynda said with a shake of her head.

“In other words, she wouldn’t allow us to do so.” Bartholomew muttered.

“The reason he hasn’t been left in prison to rot is strictly because we’re able to capture far larger threats by allowing him to operate as he does.” Glynda retorted hotly before sighing at length. She adjusted the glasses atop her face, regarding those in the room with a sternness that they’d come to expect. “The bandit camps alone are enough to bring him in for questioning, but that would be a ham-fisted tactic at best. Even if he is involved, we have no proof. The arrest wouldn’t stick. Furthermore, we’d lose valuable information by arresting him. We must remember, Roman Torchwick is not the only criminal to pose a dire threat to the Kingdoms. He’s simply the one making the largest ruckus at the moment.”

“Indeed, you make a strong point.” Ozpin said, considering this. “If Hei Xiong is in cahoots with Roman Torchwick, we certainly don’t want them to communicate in the aftermath. I’d suggest we maintain a low profile. Stand your ground for now, and keep watch. When the moment is right to act, we will, but not a moment sooner. That will be all.”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Campus: Friday, 8:00 pm.)

After a tense dinner the team cleaned up their area before exiting the cafeteria. Weiss and Blake were still mad at each other. Ruby didn’t know what to do to help, and Yang wasn’t really stepping in either. Maybe it was because the vocal barbs had toned down a little, but Ruby didn’t take any comfort in it. She wanted to, but she knew how angry Weiss was, and that anger wasn’t going to be let go of any time soon.

Ruby knew they couldn’t go into the training area that way. It was dangerous to practice without a level head. The thought had been twirling around in her mind. Her gut felt like it had rocks inside of it, rolling around with each passing wave of anxiety. Everything about this conflict felt different than the ones before. She couldn’t quite figure out why, and she didn’t want to press the issue. She had hoped that it was over and done with, but deep down she could feel that it wasn’t.

She kept her head down as she walked. Maybe if she was lucky enough, no one would ask about it. She hoped that Weiss would be too tired to care about training, and Blake would simply be glad she could go off and do her own thing. Blake seemed to like that, and Ruby hoped it would be enough to put the fighting to rest.

She wasn’t that lucky.

“Hey, you’re going the wrong way…” Yang said when Ruby turned the corner to head for the dormitories.

Now she was forced to address it. She bit her lip, trying to find the best way to talk about her concern. She didn’t want to be seen as a weak leader. She didn’t want to give her team a chance to argue with her. “We’re not going to the training rooms.” Ruby said slowly, palming a handful of her cloak to steady herself as she turned to face them. It had to be an order this time. She had to take command. “We can’t go tonight. Maybe if things are calmer, we can go tomorrow.”

It wasn’t a request. She didn’t make it sound like a question. A small part of her felt good about that, but that little spark died almost as soon as it lit.

“We don’t have the luxury to take the night off.” Weiss rebuked, itching to hit the training rooms hard. It might help elevate the restless anger she felt. If she had been just a little faster, she would have managed to catch that runaway Faunus. If she were just a little more capable, she never would have fumbled her way into Penny. Things would have worked in her favor. The only way to fix those failings was to train. There was something else too. Her pride. “We need to practice for the tournament.”

“We’re not going.” Ruby said, shaking her head. She had to be firm about that. Had to stand her ground. She was scared to confront her already angry partner, but backing down wasn’t an option. Sometimes, she really hated being a leader. “Weiss, you’re angry… Blake is too…”

“That isn’t an excuse, Ruby.”

“It’s not an excuse. Believe me, it really is a good reason. You’re both mad, and you’re aiming that at each other.”

“Training is the only way we will win the tournament.” Weiss shot back firmly. “We’re first year students, the odds are already stacked against us.”

“Winning probably isn’t going to happen anyway.” Blake said stiffly. “We’ve got way too much competition. We should just be happy if we win a few rounds and make a good showing on television.”

“We’ll never stand a chance of doing anything with that attitude.” Weiss bit out.

“Guys, stop it, you’re missing the point! You never go into the training rooms when you’re this angry. Somebody could be hurt.” Ruby said, sticking to her conviction on that when everything else confused her. It was a simple lesson. One of the first ones she’d ever gotten. To her, it was the most basic thing, something her dad had insisted on when she was first learning how to fight. “That’s why schools like this one have the combat supervision rules that they do. We need to follow them.”

“She’s right…” Yang said when both of her teammates looked at her as though she might disagree. “If you’re going to really turn a verbal fight into a physical one, a teacher has to monitor it. That’s to keep people safe, you’re not in the right place in your head to do any training right now, Weiss. I don’t think any of us really are. I know I’m not.”

The four of them headed for the dorms, but the bad blood in the air was as heavy as it could be. They barely made it into the building before Weiss couldn’t hold her tongue anymore. “This is your fault, you know.” Weis said snidely in Blake’s direction.

“My fault?” Blake groused back as they started climbing the stairs to their dorm. “You’re the one taking it upon yourself to judge others. You were the one parading around the streets of Vale, looking for a Faunus to punish him when it wasn’t even your business.”

“Someone called for help, and I acted…”

“Yeah, biasedly…”

“It’s our job.”

“To help people, not to go around slinging crazy accusations.”

“You say that as if he’s done nothing wrong.”

“Two wrongs don’t make a right, Weiss.” Blake shot back as Weiss flung open the door to the dorm, marching in as Blake followed after her. “Stop walking away from me when I’m trying to talk to you. That’s all you ever do. Walk away, shut me out, and act like you’re always right. I’m sick of it.”

“I don’t understand why this is causing such a problem.” Weiss told her.

“That is the problem…” Blake bit back.

“You realize, you’re defending an organization that hates humanity, don’t you?” Weiss asked skeptically. She had met Faunus sympathizers before, but none quite so fervent in their defenses of the White Fang. To her it was as terrifying as it was sickening. They had to be held accountable, and that couldn’t happen when people like Blake made excuses for their actions. Her teammate didn’t understand that. “The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil…”

“There’s no such thing as pure evil!” Blake shouted, refusing to think that way…

She couldn’t think that way. That she was pure evil. That her prior membership made her a person so irredeemable. She couldn’t believe she was beyond saving. That no matter how hard she tried, she would never be forgiven for any of her crimes. If that was true, she’d never be able to go back home. She’d never be able to return to her parents and prove to them that she was worth something. If Weiss was right, no Faunus in the White Fang was worth anything. Their lives made meaningless by one organization. Expected to be exterminated and cut down, just like the Grimm.

Killed for the sake of it, extinguished no matter what walk of life they came from. Blake couldn’t accept that. She couldn’t believe her life was so worthless it deserved to be thrown away. That her own agency meant nothing. That her own desires were as good as the rest as the garbage in the can that Weiss pointed at hours ago.

“Why do you think they hate humanity so much?” Blake asked, when the only thing she wanted to do was fight.

Fight, claw, kick, and scream, because here was another person looking down on her, like so many others. Doing it, and having no idea she did. Besides, even if Weiss knew the truth, she probably wouldn’t even care to show an ounce of compassion. Blake was sure of it. That’s what hurt the most. Her story didn’t matter, her feelings just didn’t matter. Speaking out didn’t matter. It didn’t work.

“It’s because of people like Cardin. People like  _ you _ that force the White Fang to take such drastic measures.” Blake said, feeling the anger bubbling as she did the one thing she didn’t want to do. She stooped to the same level as Weiss.

As the girl said earlier that afternoon, the shoe fit. If Weiss could make accusations, so could she. So, Blake did.

“People like me?” Weiss asked in disbelief.

Blake nodded, so angry, she could almost feel her blood boiling. It was people like Weiss. People that never thought to ask. People that never wanted to know. Never looked into the matter, and didn’t care to listen. Maybe if they did, maybe if they saw what was happening, maybe they’d care. 

Yet no one saw, no one looked, and no one helped.

Yang’s words trickled back. It was a Faunus fight. Even Yang had said it. That it wasn’t a human’s place to get in the middle of it. It wasn’t their job to fight this social war, but that was wrong. So very, very, wrong. The Faunus needed the world to come together, needed humans willing to make that happen. It wasn’t just the plight of the Faunus, it was everyone’s plight, and so many people on both sides just didn’t care.

Her team didn’t care. Her partner… she just didn’t care. Yang Xiao Long, the one person who said continually she’d never hurt her had in one fell swoop hurt her the most. That had been the last straw.

“You’re discriminatory!” Blake shouted, angry eyes fixated on Weiss when the bottled up rage had no place else to go.

“I’m a victim!” Weiss demanded, and that rage was returned in spades. Weiss bit her lip. Blake was so focused on the Faunus that she didn’t even care about the things they destroyed in their mayhem. She couldn’t fault the girl, she was a mere commoner. For all this girl talked about lending an ear, she didn’t seem to listen at all. 

Shouting into the void, just like the rest of the senseless mob. If she wanted a story, Weiss vowed, she would give her a story.

“You want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don’t particularly trust the Faunus?” Weiss chipped out, she couldn’t even bear to look at Blake anymore. Turning to the window, she began looking out at the campus as the moon lifted to the dark sky. It felt stifling. The same way she felt when she was at home back in Atlas. “It’s because they’ve been at war with my family for years.”

And that, Weiss knew was true. How many times had it happened? She lost count. How many times did she cry in her father’s arms? She didn’t know. How many times did he promise to make it all go away? Every. Single. Time. He never kept his promise. They always came back. The people that gave her nightmares and took people away. They were on the news, and murmured about in the halls of her home. They tormented and terrified her. The White Fang did it, with pride and with pleasure.

They liked tormenting people, and enjoyed taking away the people she cared about. How could Blake even begin to understand that?

“War…” Weiss bit out, the word catching in her throat. “As in actual bloodshed.”

It was all so vivid to her. It was her life, after all. She’d lived through it. She wondered what Blake thought of that. Wondered if the woman even gave a damn about what humans might have gone through once the White Fang turned violent. The girl said nothing, none of them did. 

Idly, she felt pity for Ruby. This is exactly what she was trying to protect her from. To keep that innocence away from a family that was tarnished by the White Fang, and therefore tarnished everything it touched in return. There was no use helping it now. It was out, and she never left anything half finished...

“My grandfather’s company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember, and ever since I was a child, I’ve watched family friends disappear. Board members, executed.” Weiss said, recounting so many details, and it wasn’t just history. It was her daily life. A life she endured even before arriving at Beacon. “An entire train car full of dust, stolen…”

It was so recent that it continued to feel like it was poisoning her family from the inside out. Weiss couldn’t even find the words to really explain all of the reasons why. It didn’t matter. It all boiled down into something very simple. Something even Ruby would be able to absorb in some capacity.

“Every day, my father would come home furious…” Weiss said, her voice dangerously collected. Feeling it touch the air with the same menacing promises of her father before her. The man often stated little more than the obvious, but with an implied threat that his anger would turn the strict father she knew into a heartless monster. “And that made for a very difficult childhood…”

“Weiss…” Ruby began. “I…”

“No!” Weiss shouted. Of course Ruby would want to help. Of course she would reach out. The girl always did. She wanted to, but even thinking of letting her near this mess wasn’t possible. Weiss couldn’t do that. She promised Ruby…

She would be the best partner the girl ever had. Ruby had proven her loyalty, and now she would be as loyal to that girl she promised to be. It was a word that had once been so alien to Weiss that it seemed an impossible standard to expect of anyone. Yet here they were. These people, her teammates. Occasionally idiotic. Habitually provoking her temper. 

They were always around…

These people, too good for their own souls, were loyal to a fault. She wouldn’t let them near the White Fang. Wouldn’t let them be killed, like so many others. She wouldn’t allow that to happen, not again…

Never again…

“You want to despise the White Fang?!” Weiss said, losing every ounce of her composure. No one would be touched by the heinous acts of the White Fang. No one would be harmed by her father’s rage. No one would be put at risk. She wouldn’t let them near any of it. “It’s because they’re a bunch of liars, thieves, and murders!”

“Well, maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Campus, Friday 9:00 PM.)

Blake had no idea what she was thinking. Really, she hadn’t been thinking at all. She stopped thinking in the haze of her anger. Instead she started running. Leaving the room behind and just running. Away from the fight, away from the truth, and away from all of her mistakes.

She ran away from everything, she was good at that.

Only this time, she had no place to go. She couldn’t run to Tukson, not this time. There would be no shoulder to cry on, and he would try to send her home. She couldn’t do that. If she went to the professors, she’d have to tell them everything. That wasn’t an option she could even consider. Her mind was hazy, desperately searching for an option, but none of them came to her as she skidded to a halt in front of one of Beacon’s many statues. The one that she had seen in history books as a child.

It was a famous monument. The first time she had seen it in person, she had been filled with a small sense of pride. Now that she looked at it again, everything seemed so empty and pointless. Her ears beneath the ribbon hurt. They always did when they were bound down and concealed for so long. She took it off, just wishing that some small part of her would stop hurting. It wasn’t exactly as soothing as she would have liked it to be.

Just like a coward, she ran away from the people she was supposed to be loyal to, if loyalty counted for anything. She’d done it again. Destroyed the one thing that should have mattered. Her outburst had shocked them, it had completely shocked her, too. Her own mortification began to set in as she sat beside the last person she should be next to.

The man called himself Sun.

He had a soft smile on his face as he guided her through the otherwise empty campus. He ended up leading her to a bench with a nearby stand selling simple foods and drinks. He’d bought two waters, passing her one of them as he crinkled the receipt and crammed it into his pocket.

That was then, a handful of moments ago. Now he sat there, cracking his own water open and swigging from it. His tail wagged slightly from its dangling position off the edge of the seat.

She should be thanking him for the water, but no words came to her. A flick of her ear doing the work for her. She had to hope that was enough for him. She wouldn’t let her voice betray her again tonight.

“So, uh… Rough night, huh?” Sun began slowly as the silence lingered.

That was putting the matter mildly. She flicked her ear to agree, guilt washing over her for a variety of reasons. The one that stood out the most was the sense of failure. Her own. She had messed up big time. She couldn’t explain that to a stranger, wouldn’t even dare to try.

“Are you non-verbal, or…” Sun trailed off.

It wasn’t an odd question, really. She probably should have expected it. Some people couldn’t talk. Some people chose not to. For some it was a sign of stress. For others, a choice to revert inward upon themselves. To deny the outside world. There were other causes, too. Hearing impairment was one of them, a concept Blake had heard of, but had never personally encountered. She knew it was a problem.

Sign language wasn’t widely taught. It should have been, but most would never learn. She had even studied it herself a little. In the end, it was another thing that most people never needed to worry about. Many were too self-absorbed to be aware of it.

In the end, it was just another systemic issue that the wider world just didn’t give a damn about. A problem that knew no age, race, or orientation. A problem left ignored, like so many others.

In that way, Blake knew she was lucky. Luckier than any human. Among other Faunus she could interact broadly without words. They didn’t need sign language, they had a method of communication of their very own. They could have vague conversations without the use of words. Scent and physical reaction would get the point across. Subtle shifts in demeanor or action would be enough to convey a wealth of basic understanding.

In that way, she was privileged. It was amazing how such a simple question could make her heart ache.

Blake blinked in his direction, ears folding down, her scent had to be overpowering. She could smell it caking herself. Fear, anger, so many other things. A complex mix of signs so muddled that it made her want to cry. Through wet eyes she looked at him. Begging him to just leave her there. To forget she even existed. He probably had his own problems, he certainly didn’t need hers.

That despair reflected in her entire being, and with a soft shake of her head, she looked down at the bottle of water she had yet to open.

“Don’t feel like talking…” Sun said. “Right…”

He didn’t get up. He didn’t leave. Instead he made himself more comfortable. “If you’re here, you’ve probably got a team somewhere. Maybe I should find them?”

Curling in on herself, her shoulder slumped. It was the last thing she wanted.

“Okay… So I guess I won’t then.” He said awkwardly with a chuckle. “Um, I saw you with some human girls today… Maybe I could track them down?”

Blake shook her head again. She didn’t want that, couldn’t face them right now. Maybe not ever again.

* * *

(Beacon Academy Dorms, Friday 10:00PM.)

“We should have gone after her right then.” Ruby pouted as she gazed out of the dorm’s window. “I could have caught up to her if I knew what direction she went. I can’t just zip around and magically find her out of nothing, though.”

“Sis, what would you have even done if you did catch her?”

“I don’t know…”

“Good thing you didn’t try then.” Yang said, trying to find the silver lining wherever she could. As time ticked by, that silver lining seemed harder to come by. “It would have been a mess. The whole day was a mess…”

“It’s been a little while now. We should go look for them…”

“Weiss is in the library. We know where she is. It’s Blake that I’m worried about. She just took off outta here like a bat out of hell.”

Yang continued to pace the room worriedly. From the chair by the door, to the top of the bunk bed, back to the chair again. She just couldn’t get comfortable. She was done passing the hours by staring blankly at the magazines in her collection.

“Did she answer your texts?” Ruby asked hopefully.

“No, and I can’t turn on the GPS for her scroll either. When I called it went straight to voicemail.” Yang said as she looked down at the small screen. “Hell, I don’t even think she had the damn thing turned on. It’s almost like she turned it off herself.”

“What if she broke it?”

“If she did that, then our scrolls would have been pinged for distress or catastrophic failure. You know that even better than I do, Sis.”

“But, scrolls aren’t perfect, Yang…” Ruby told her. She had read the manual extensively, but she knew better. Safety measures didn’t always trigger. There was always a chance they would fail. “What if it got broken too fast, or she smashed it to little tiny bits? What if when she was running away she got hurt someplace? We can’t see her aura like this…”

“Ruby… Stop… Okay?” Yang said, reeling on her sister and forcefully grabbing her by the shoulders. A firm shake forced the girl to look at her. Yang hated seeing that expression. The same one that kept Ruby up at night when they were kids. When unknowns weren’t a comfort, and Yang had no answer to give to a little girl who constantly asked where mommy was. 

Yang hated that question just as much as she hated that expression. It hurt too much. “Just stop thinking the worst… It’s not that bad…”

“It’s dark out and she ran off.” Ruby argued. That very fact alone was enough to send her into a spiral. Let alone what caused it. That was an entire new level of anxiety. “Yang she’s gone…”

“I fucking know that!” Yang raged fist slamming to the side, crunching the nearby drywall. “I know…”

They didn’t chase Blake. They should have, but they were too stunned to even think, let alone catch up to her. Weiss was livid, and Blake seemed terrified. They all needed just a second to breath, just a second to think, but that was a second too long. 

Weiss was furious. She wanted answers. To be honest, they all did.

As a group, they went down to find her, but by then Blake wasn’t in the dorms anymore. She wasn’t in the common areas. She wasn’t by any of her usual reading spots either. They stopped at the fountain, but the upperclassmen congregating there said they hadn’t seen anyone else around for a while. They’d gone back to the room to wait things out, but time was ticking and Blake had not returned.

“Yang…”

“I said, I know, Ruby.” Yang sighed, strong arms gathering the girl up, as if she could hug out that anguish. She couldn’t. “It’s okay…”

“No it’s not.”

Right was right. It wasn’t alright… It never was when things like this happened. 

“We’re okay…” Yang said softly, tucking Ruby’s head under her chin. “You’re scared right now, but we’re okay.”

“What hasn’t she come back?”

“Shhhh...”

“Yang…”

“You remember what Dad and I used to tell you when you were little?”

“That all the bad things in the world could never get me when you hugged me?” Ruby asked sadly, sniffling. “You lied…”

“Yeah, we did a little bit…” Yang admitted softly. No amount of hugs or promises would give Summer her life back. They’d never go back to the way things were. “But, you know Ruby, we also didn’t lie all that much. It always sucks when people leave, it always hurts, but even if Blake doesn’t come back we’re going to make it through this. We always make it through things like this.”

“Hugs aren’t magical, Yang… and it doesn’t fix this… it doesn’t fix anything…”

“But you’re still safe here. That part is still true.” Yang murmured, sighing. “Let’s just give Blake a little time to cool off and come back on her own. If we force her when she’s upset, that’s not going to do any good.”

“I should have stopped them…”

“This isn’t on you…”

“Yes, it is…”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Dorms, Friday 11:00PM.)

She made Ruby wait…

She made herself wait…

She couldn’t take it anymore, and neither could Ruby. It was eleven at night, and there was still no sign of Blake. Her scroll wasn’t taking calls, texts went unanswered, the GPS still couldn’t be turned on. The only saving grace was that it hadn’t chimed that fatalistic alert indicating a catastrophic failure of the hardware.

If it was even possible for a scroll to do that while it was turned off, Yang had no idea. Ruby said it depended on what was on the inside of the machine.

Yang hated that uncertainty.

Her sister had ripped out every pamphlet the school had. Digging through them in a wild frenzy to find the answer. She said that some scrolls never turned off completely. That it would still try to send a signal in the event of an emergency. There was only one issue, Ruby didn’t know if their scrolls could do that. She didn’t know if Blake’s scroll was built to do such a thing. Ruby needed to find out, digging through every document in her leadership folder until she found exactly what she was looking for.

It could send an alert regarding low aura levels, even while turned off, but only within a certain radius of its assigned user. If the machine wasn’t set to mission mode and Blake was too far away, the readings would default to an inactive state. They would have no way to know that she was alright.

If it was broken or lost, they would never know her condition.

That was the last straw for Yang as Ruby dissolved into another puddle of tears. Yang’s decision was final. One way or the other, she was going to find her partner and drag her back to the dorm. F

irst, she needed to deal with her sister, but that was something she could no longer do alone. She needed help. Her whole team did. She made a snap decision, one that in her right of mind she probably never would have made. She reached out to what she considered to be Ruby’s best friend.

“See that blob under the blankets?” Yang said pointing her thumb over her shoulder. The poor blond boy in her grip rattled from being forcefully yanked away from his late night studies. “Make sure it doesn’t go wandering off.”

“Wait!” Jaune asked, flailing around when Yang practically shoved him into the hallway. She would toss him head first into the room if she needed to, that he was sure of. “Where are you going?”

“Blake and Weiss had the biggest blowout I’ve ever seen, and Blake made a run for it.”

“She did what?”

“You heard me the first time. I’m not in the mood to dick around.” Yang bit out.

Pyrrha looked into the room, seeing the mass of blankets quivering beneath the desk. She was sure she could hear sniffling. “This doesn’t look good…” 

“It’s not.” Yang said softly.

“What about Weiss?” Pyrrha asked, concern filling her voice. “Is she alright?”

“She’s really pissed off right now, but she’s fine.” Yang said, hoping that she was correct about that. She sighed awkwardly, her hands running through her hair as she sighed. Normally, she would never expect someone else to do something like this. Ruby was her little sister, and her responsibility.

Now, her back was against the wall, and she felt like she didn’t have a choice. “Hey, Jaune…”

“Yeah?”

“Listen, you’re one of the few real friends she has around here. The first one she made since coming to Beacon. You’re the only one that’s just as much a big gigantic ball of fluff as she is… If you give a shit about that at all, I need you to stay with her for me.” Yang told him. “You know, make sure she doesn’t go wandering off on her own.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Jaune asked, despite the fact he may very well be punched in the face for that question. Yang was clearly not in the mood for an interrogation.

“To find Blake…” She snapped over her shoulder.

Pyrrha stepped in, chasing after Yang and grabbing her by the arm. “Yang, please just wait for a moment. Wouldn’t it be best to take her with you?” Pyrrha asked.

“Not a chance.” Yang said crossing her arms and starting Pyrrha down. “She’s fifteen years old, a team leader in a bad place in her head, and in a school with people where we are supposed to be the youngest ones here. On top of that, it’s dark outside, and we have people from other academies that we don’t even know crashing in the dorms around campus. You do the math…”

“Understood.” Pyrrha nodded as she realized no one could possibly expect that of the girl. Her eyes gained an edge that Yang would never want to face down in the ring. It was unusually stern for the generally soft spoken woman. Turning to Jaune there was determination in her voice. “I’m going to go help Yang.”

Jaune nodded seriously. “I’ll stay here and text Ren and Nora. I’m sure they’ll help look.”


	45. Chapter 45

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XLV**

(Beacon Academy Lonely Little Balcony, Saturday 12:00 AM.)

The small balcony Weiss frequented was empty, just as she hoped it would be. She took a moment to just stand there under the night sky, looking up at the clouds concealing the stars and shattered moon that peaked out from behind them. Weiss liked this small secluded area. She came here to get away from people, and some of her most productive studying sessions happened when she was under the moonlit sky.

Only this time, she wasn’t studying. Instead she had come here to get away from prying eyes. Left to her lonesome so that she wouldn’t need to explain why she was in such a foul mood. It was almost too lonely. She reached for her scroll, looking down at a number she knew by heart. It was saved in her contacts and yet rarely used. She missed her family, the normalcy of high expectation and everything she knew.

Her sister told her to call if she ever needed help. She had promised Winter she would.

Weiss rubbed at her eyes, red and puffy. Her unladylike expression reflected slightly in the dark glass. She would never dream of going out in public this way under any normal circumstance. Her thumb hovered over the button, quaking a little as she fought with herself internally. It wasn’t that she wanted Winter’s interference. It was that she couldn’t help feeling like a child, small and lost. It was a strange feeling, maturity had been instilled into her at such a young age. She was expected to think and act in very distinct ways, deviating from that would earn her strict punishments.

In spite of that, too many bad memories plagued her now.

She hated dredging all of it up, but her outburst has caused her to remember everything she hated about her childhood. It made her want to just go back to her father’s arms to cry and forget. She wanted to be told it would all go away again, even if it was a lie. She would believe him for just a moment of that comfort. She couldn’t even have that much, and with an annoyed sigh she mentally berated herself for feeling so weak.

Her father would ruin everything if she called him now. It was the way he was to a fault.

She was his daughter and for him it would be that simple. He would go after anything that harmed the sensibilities he had instilled into her. Blake’s words had cut deep, and although the accusations made her angry, Weiss knew that she wasn’t the bedrock of all the hate aimed at the SDC. Weiss Schnee, merely a blip on the radar for most of the people that disagreed with her family’s dealings. At the end of the day, she wasn’t the owner of the company, her father was.

She couldn’t call him. Couldn’t risk his temper. He’d pull her out of Beacon for sure, and in  _ his _ mind, it would be for her own good.

Winter was far less likely to do something so incredibly rash. There was always a small chance, no matter how tiny. Winter was a Schnee too, after all. She’d protect her family fiercely. It was in the blood. Weiss pressed the button anyway, choosing a voice call over one with video. Winter couldn’t see her right now, not like this.

* * *

(Beacon Academy Ozpin’s Office, Saturday 12:00 AM.)

There was too much planning to be done, and far little time to do it in. Winter felt her scroll buzzing incessantly in her pocket and politely excused herself from the banter regarding festival events. Ozpin was kind enough to offer up the personal break room just beside his office. She didn’t hesitate to take him up on the offer, closing the door and locking it as she looked down to a lack of voice mail. Weiss had called her, but hadn’t left any indication as to why.

She called back immediately. It rang three times, and Winter rolled her eyes at the measured action. Her father had raised Weiss with that habit. Answering a call too quickly would seem desperate, he’d told her. Answering them too late would be rude.

“Hello, dear Sister.” Weiss greeted, sounding tired.

“Hello, Weiss.” Winter said evenly.

“It isn’t a bad time, is it?”

“No.” Winter said, even though it wasn’t the most opportune time, either. They didn’t speak often, but it was quite late. “I was merely discussing a few unimportant documents among high ranking officials. It can wait.” Winter told her sibling gently. It wasn’t a lie, either. Discussions of food service and party planning for the wealthy spectators of Atlas were hardly her concern at the moment. Ozpin would willingly find something else to banter about until she returned. It was merely a formality, and everyone knew only the finest cuisine would find its way into the mouths of willing investors. “Is something troubling you?”

“A little perhaps…” Weiss admitted in that light and airy way that socialites often did.

“Meaning a great deal.” Winter returned, summing up the poor attempt at polite conversation.

A heartbeat of silence and Weiss sighed. “You know me so well...”

“Well, you are my little sister. It would be unforgivable if I didn’t.”

“Yet this is the first time I’ve gone off on my own that you didn’t have your nose in my personal business.” Weiss told her. Although her words were sharp, the intent was blunted by the reality of the Schnee household.

“It was either me or Father.” Winter replied, that little detail was the exact reason why she had often interfered where she otherwise wouldn’t have.

“Touché.”

It occurred to Winter then that Weiss likely didn’t know she was in Vale. That although Glynda knew, she hadn’t informed the girl. Winter wasn’t sure if she should be annoyed or thankful, but Weiss was the prideful sort. She had been planning to check in on her sister, go to lunch and bond in the way they often did. Trading stories and events over a good meal and wine. She even desired to make such a suggestion, until a rather unpleasant thought came to mind.

Doing so now might be seen as problematic. As though she wanted to meddle in her sister’s affairs. Weiss had something to prove, and she carried that personal sense of individualistic pride. Before, it could have been a chance meeting, a moment of respite. An elder sibling merely looking in on a beloved family member and leaving it at that. Now, doing such a thing might be taken differently, and Winter didn’t want her intentions to be misconstrued.

Then again, it would not be the first time that Weiss had gotten herself into a profound level of trouble. Perhaps an inquiry would be in order.

“It is quite late isn’t it? You don’t seem to think that you’re in the middle of an emergency, otherwise you would have informed me of that.” Winter said, although her voice was entirely skeptical. “You would think to inform me if it was an emergency, wouldn’t you?”

“Winter…” Weiss groused softly.

The elder sibling could only smirk. Her sister had a bit of fight in her still, she was alright for now. “I was merely wondering.”

“Can we at least call it what it is? You were fishing around…”

At that, Winter merely made herself comfortable in the nearby chair. “I don’t deny that. So, care to tell me why you’re calling? I can’t imagine this to be a social call.”

“It is, in a way.” Weiss said, a long protracted sigh reaching Winter’s ear. “I’m just conflicted, and wanted to take my mind off of matters.”

“Matters such as?”

“You aren’t keen to drop the subject?”

“Not even remotely.”

“Fine then…” Weiss said, trailing off for a moment. “I had a dispute with a teammate. A rather large one, if I’m being honest. It was more stressful than I thought it would be. I thought a friendly voice might be just the thing I need at the moment.”

“I see…” Winter merely chuckled at that, thinking the problem to be little more than a disagreement common at most combat academies. She had spent enough time in Atlas Academy overseeing students to have heard them all before. Young bloods would fight over nearly everything if given half the chance. In Atlas such disputes were shut down and mediated immediately, but Ozpin kept a rather hand’s off approach. “That took longer than I initially thought it would.”

“Your confidence in me is inspiring, Winter, truly.” Weiss said sarcastically.

“I didn’t mean that as an insult, merely that I knew it would be inevitable.” Winter said calmly. She knew Weiss would take the matter personally, but that was her fault for refusing to distance herself from the situation. “Arguments happen, disputes occur. It was bound to happen sooner or later. That’s the way of the natural world. You can either sulk about the matter or do something about it.”

“As if there is currently anything to be done at all…” Weiss said sardonically, the frigid retort holding no malignancy towards Winter particularly.

“What was the argument about?”

“That is something I don’t care to explain…”

“Too late, you’ve already called knowing that I’d ask. You might as well just tell me.”

“One of my teammates is a rather staunch Faunus supporter, to the point of blinding herself to the truth. You could say we don’t stand on the same side of certain ideologies and leave it at that.”

“Ideology…” Winter murmured, trailing off. With her scroll perched in one ear, she helped herself to an unopened bottle of water resting on the table. One of many. “Weiss, allow me to offer you a bit of advice. Ideology is only as useful as the person wielding it. In a small way it is much like swordsmanship. A blade does little good when it sits on a shelf unused. The same is true of any concept involving moral high ground. It is a craft to be honed, and failing to do so makes it useless.”

“You’re speaking in circles, dear Sister.”

“Frankly, I’m not. It’s merely that you haven’t had to learn that lesson. You haven’t needed to apply it.” Winter told her gently.

“Don’t tell me you believe all of that tripe regarding the Faunus movement…“ Weiss scoffed. “Particularly where the White Fang themselves happen to be involved.”

“I believe that like me, you’re a Schnee. We were raised with certain notions in mind. However, not all of them hold value to the greater would.” Winter said then. “The misgivings of the White Fang aside, not everything spouted by the movement is entirely useless.”

“That’s rather pedantic, coming from you.” Weiss said softly, unsure of what to truly discern from that.

“The topic itself is a pedantic thing, Weiss.” Winter sighed then. “Logically, the answer would be simple. Give Faunus the rights they so desire, and take away the reason for the White Fang to exist. Then, if they continue acting as they do, we’d have every reason to systematically dismantle their organization. That being said, this is an emotionally charged issue. Logic only goes so far and the pains of history are brought up by both sides every chance they get. There isn’t a simple solution to that.”

Weiss said nothing to that, and Winter grit her teeth as she bit back an incredibly long lecture about the historical ramifications of the Faunus dispute. In some ways, it toed the line of complete idiocy. At least it felt that way when the White Fang acted boorishly and the Faunus supporters refused to see reason. It wasn’t any different among the wealthy in search of that all too cheap labor force. Moderation would be the key, but that required both sides to actually sit down and share words. Ghira Belladonna had been the closest to achieving that goal, but balancing the people among Remnant was a tightrope at best. Nearly impossible a task, in Winter’s personal opinion.

The dispute Weiss had apparently found herself engaged in was to be expected then. It was only a microcosm of a much larger social issue. It wasn’t very surprising that Weiss would stand on the side she knew so well. A side that certainly didn’t help bring peace or guide the future of the industrial world in any meaningful way. A side that among humans, it inhibited progress just as the White Fang did.

“Weiss, do yourself a favor. Take a step back and truly analyze the situation. Turn it into a numbers game, little more than numbers on a chart.”

“I don’t see how that could do me any good.”

“When you aim to determine which of your preconceived notions are correct and which are not, you must intellectually understand the notion you disagree with. You don’t need to agree with it. However, if you can’t at least understand the rationality behind it, you’ll never be able to confront the true nature of the issue.”

“Trust me, I could never agree with what keeps coming out of my teammate’s mouth. It isn’t rational anyway. It’s nonsense.”

“Even madmen craft their notions from somewhere. Ideology isn’t born from nothing, it originates somewhere.” Winter said softly. “You should locate the origin and familiarize yourself with it. If you walk away with the same conclusion as before, so be it. If you walk away with something else in mind, it may be worth considering.”

“That’s very vague…” Weiss sighed dryly.

“Well, that is all you can expect when you refuse to give me the finer details…”

“Stop fishing.” Weiss demanded. “You aren’t getting any.”

“Then neither are you.” Winter laughed, shaking her head in the comfort that her sister shouldn’t see the action. “Educate yourself thoroughly and come to your own conclusion afterwards. That is the best thing that you can do.”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Dorms, Saturday 1:00 AM.)

Jaune paced the room as Ruby looked out of the window despondently. He had managed to coax her out from under the blanket, but she was still in low spirits. A knock came to the door. The visitors didn’t wait for him to open it before they kicked it in. Jaune yelled and covered his eyes as the woman who came barging in wasn’t exactly dressed for the occasion.

“Someone better be fuckin dead.” Coco groused in little more than her half closed bathrobe.

“Coco…” Velvet chastised, her nightgown covering her far better.

“Why did you guys wake me up?” Coco demanded to know, strutting across the room. No one woke her up unless there was a damn good reason. She grabbed Ruby by the shoulder, the girl shrinking as Coco saw the tears streaming down her face. “Ruby…?”

“I messed up…” Ruby sobbed, curling into her cloak.

“Velvet, go back to bed.” Coco ordered, her voice completely exhausted.

“Are you sure?” Velvet asked her. “I’m more than happy to stay up with you.”

“Yeah, babe. Just go. I’ll be back whenever, soon hopefully.” Coco said while her focus was on Ruby. She didn’t pay Velvet any mind as the girl nodded, turning around to go back to the room and crawl back into bed. Honestly, Coco wanted to do the same. She couldn’t until she found out what was going on. “Ruby, where are your teammates?”

“There was an argument.” Ruby said, her voice cracking under the weight of that admission. Jaune has convinced her to call Coco, but now that she had, she felt like even more of a failure than before. “The day started out pretty good, but then everything just sort of blew up. Weiss left, she said she was going to the library. Blake ran away, and we can’t get ahold of her. Yang went out to find her, but she still hasn’t yet.”

Coco cursed under her breath. It sounded like a stupid reason to her, but now she was awake.

“Don’t be so worried about that. She couldn’t have gone very far.” Coco sighed, taking the time to search for a cigarette in her pocket and lighting it. “The airships aren’t running right now, and I’d doubt she would go into the Emerald Forest on her own at night. Forever Fall would be a total death wish, nobody would be that stupid.”

“She seemed really upset, maybe she’s not thinking…”

“Try not to sweat the small stuff.”

“It was a really big fight, though.”

“Here’s a hint, it’s all small stuff.” Coco shrugged sitting down on the lower bunk that belonged to Weiss. She took a long drag, smoke billowing from her lips as she made herself comfortable. “Sounds to me like it was just a typical pissing match. Happens all the time, count that as a blessing.”

“We’re a team, we shouldn’t be fighting at all.” Ruby protested as Coco waved her away.

“In a perfect world? Sure, there’d never be a fight. In a perfect world there’d never be Grimm, either.” Coco grumbled, rubbing her eyes tiredly. “Shit hits the fan every now and then. Are you going to sit there and sob like a baby every single time your team acts like idiots?”

“Hey, don’t you think that’s a little too far?” Jaune told her, frowning deeply at Coco’s harsh words.

“No, it’s just far enough.” Coco told him.

“We called you for help.” Jaune shot back.

“Big damn deal.” Coco said with a roll of her eyes. “I really don’t give a shit about a couple of kids acting stupid. It happens, welcome to Beacon. You two need to get something straight. You’re leaders, it’s your job from keeping this kind of crap from happening, whatever it takes. When you don’t, this is what happens. Lesson learned, yeah?”

“The only thing I’ve learned is that I’m a really bad teammate, and probably an even worse leader…” Ruby muttered.

“Yep, you are.” Coco said unflinchingly. “You all are, you’re first year students. I’d be more worried if you didn’t have your thumbs up your asses. It means you’ve seen the real deal out there. People who come into Beacon Academy with their heads on the right way, are the people that have lost too damn much to lose anything else. I’ll tell you this, though. If one of my teammates ran off, I sure as hell wouldn’t cry about it.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Ruby asked her, her gaze drifting back out of the window to find any glimpse of Blake. She knew she wouldn’t find one, but it was easier to do that than face Coco. “Yang tells me to let them fight it out, and you think I’m not being hard enough. Weiss said that some things are worth fighting over, but Blake just took off…”

“You’re supposed to lead.” Coco shrugged, at a loss. “I can’t tell you how to do that, I can only tell you that you’ve got to get off your ass and try…”

“I am…” Ruby told her. “I did the best I could, and it made all of the fighting worse.”

Coco didn’t believe that one bit. This was going to happen from the start. The student files she’d looked into told her everything she needed to know. Many of the records were redacted, what was left behind for her to read promised trouble. She had witnessed some of the smaller fights. She knew that Weiss was as stubborn as an ox, and Blake had a chip on her shoulder. For reasons that were completely idiotic in the grand scheme, both of them were twice as volatile to each other.

If it were her teammates acting out this way, she would have demanded respect. Coco knew first hand that she could never tolerate that type of fighting. Still, it wasn’t her place to hold Ruby’s hand and coddle her. Her job was to make the girl into a worthy team leader.

As she saw it, that would take a lot of work. The team was a poorly assigned mess, the odds were stacked against them at the start. “Listen…” Coco began slowly. “If your team doesn’t respect you, you’re not leading. You need to lay down the law and maintain it.”

“I don’t know how to get them to stop. Weiss and Blake fight all the time, even when they’re not. They don’t get along, not really.” Ruby said, brushing the drying tear off of her cheek. “I thought everything was getting better, but it wasn’t.”

“Then start kicking ass and taking names.” Coco shot back, the ashes from her cigarette fell onto the floor. She didn’t care as she took another long drag. “When that happens, you take control. Force it, if you have to. Take it to the arena, take it to Goodwitch, and work their asses off so hard they’re too tired to fight.”

“That’s-”

“An asshole move, right?” Coco asked, cutting Ruby off. “Well asshole teammates deserve an asshole leader. They don’t like that? They’ll straighten up, now won’t they? If they can’t respect you as a leader, they’re not your friends. Friends don’t treat friends like garbage. Friends don’t endanger the team. Friends don’t break the chain of command over dumb things, because it gets people killed….”

Ruby shrunk at that. “I don’t know if I could ever be that mean…”

“Look, sometimes, you’ve got to do things you don’t want to do. At the end of the day, how you get them working together is up to you. That said, you don’t have the luxury to screw around. You guys have to know you’ve got each other’s backs in a fight. If you don’t have that, you’re no team.” Coco said squashing the dying cigarette in her hand and dumping it in the trash once it was out. “At that point, you’re just a bunch of kids playing hero. If that’s the way it’s going to be, you guys don’t belong here.”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Campus, Saturday 2:00 AM)

She probably should have felt thankful that Pyrrha joined her, but in truth Yang only felt an overwhelming sense of frustration as she kicked a nearby pebble into the grass. There was no satisfaction in it, but then she doubted that most things would give her a sense of relief. She needed to talk to Blake alone and find out what was really going on, but that was starting to look more impossible by the moment.

“Are you alright, Yang?” Pyrrha asked softly.

Yang decided there was no use in lying. It would probably end up poorly. “Yeah, just kind of pissed off.”

Yang had her fair share of wandering around late at night. She was used to hanging around the dimly lit streets of Vale where the slums met the downtown. Shattered streetlights and crime cluttered those narrow passages, and she knew exactly how to deal with that. She could handle herself and watch her own back. She didn’t need anyone else to watch it for her.

She wished she felt the same way now.

The campus had to be relatively safe compared to the places she used to frequent. Rationally, she kept reminding herself of that as she walked along the campus in search of Blake. There was no trace of her. It was like she just vanished. The main walkways were brightly lit, but Yang and Pyrrha had been cutting their way down the darker paths between buildings to make the commute between parties shorter.

Every shadow called to her gaze, every tiny movement in the distance made her jumpy. She had never felt this worried in the confines of the filthy backstreets of Vale. Passing by the citizens that lived in those sorts of places came as second nature. The homeless were usually only hungry or cold, the addicts only wanted a fix, and the Faunus just wanted a little respect. Most people weren’t troublemakers. The vast majority had grown accustomed to Yang passing by, just as she had grown used to seeing the regulars inhabiting their usual spots. Some would wave at her on occasion or offer a nod, but most simply ignored her. Just as she ignored them, minding her own business. Those that did look for trouble she punched in the face and went on with her night.

Somehow, the gatherings on roofs and in common rooms were more intimidating than all of that. These were faces and names she didn’t know. Capable combatants, training to get into the same line of work that she was.

“Miss Xiao Long, Miss Nikos, you two seem to be out late.” Glynda Goodwitch replied to the girls as she stepped away from one of the community gatherings she had begun to supervise. The students would seek out their own parties if the faculty didn’t provide them. This long standing tradition gave those in search of their excitement a safe way to do so.

“Yeah, I guess we are.” Yang said nervously.

“We were merely enjoying the wonderful evening.” Pyrrha replied effortlessly. “There are many events tonight, we thought we’d spend a little time at all of them.”

At this Glynda nodded. “Might I suggest the recreation center? Professor Oobleck and a few second year students from team CFVY are hosting a rather spectacular pool party. I’ve heard the students are enjoying it.”

“Uh, swimming really isn’t my thing when a pool is that crowded.” Yang told the woman. It was true too, she liked to swim during the less popular hours. The pool was large, but too many students still made swimming nearly impossible. “Hey, you wouldn’t have happened to have run into Blake here, have you?”

“No, I can’t say that I have. I’ve only just arrived myself.” Glynda told them, her gaze lingering more on the firewood being tossed into the dust reinforced metal fire pit. The fourth year students in charge of hosting this particular gathering were careful not to overfeed the flames. “This does not seem the type of gathering Miss Belladonna would enjoy.”

One look at the rowdy group promised that Blake likely wouldn’t be here. Yang knew it was a longshot. Music was blasting, and the off-key singing that accompanied it would be the sort of thing to annoy her. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Guess we should look someplace else.”

“To be honest, Professor Goodwitch, it doesn’t seem like the kind you’d enjoy, either.” Pyrrha said.

The blonde woman shrugged mildly. “Well it isn’t my first choice, but the students are having a good time. They’ve harmed no one, no property has been destroyed. This is a campus party I can fully support. While the music isn’t to my taste, I do like to see that the people across the kingdoms can join together. If you’re having a difficult time locating your teammate, Miss Xiao Long, couldn’t you simply call her?”

“No.” Yang chipped out.

“She forgot her scroll back in the room.” Pyrrha said quickly. “We thought she might want it.”

“I see.” Glynda said agreeably. Blake was the bookish sort. She probably wouldn’t be entertained at the rowdy gatherings overtaking the front of the campus. An idea came to her. “There is a chance she has gone to join the star viewing near the back of the campus. Professor Port is overseeing that event and it is much more docile as a result. If she isn’t there, perhaps she is in the gardens. Professor Peach saw fit to host one of her midnight tea ceremonies.”

“We’ll certainly check there next then.” Pyrrha said.

“Yeah.” Yang said, clinging to the thought that Blake may have found herself in brighter spirits someplace else. “Let’s go, Pyrrha… Bye Professor.”

“Enjoy yourself.” Glynda said, returning back to her empty seat by the fire pit.

Yang and Pyrrha walked out of earshot before Yang checked her scroll again. Blake was still unreachable. Yang fluffed her hair in exasperation. “She’s not at the pool or Ren and Nora would have seen her.”

“Perhaps the flower viewing?” Pyrrha wondered. “She may be there.”

“I’m starting to think she’s not anywhere like that.” Yang said, it was her fear from the start. She had hoped she would have been proven wrong. It just hadn’t happened. “Maybe she’s off on her own someplace that she won’t be found.”

“Why don’t we split up, then?” Pyrrha suggested. “I can check the star viewing and the tea ceremony. Meanwhile, you could look into her usual hiding places.”

“I don’t know where any of them are.” Yang sighed. “I don’t know where she goes when she wants to be by herself. I wouldn’t even know where to start looking.”

“Then just look everywhere.” Pyrrha replied. “I will do the same. We will locate her somehow Yang, I promise.”

“Yeah…” Yang agreed. “Okay…”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Dorm, Saturday 7:00 A.M)

She looked, but she hadn’t found Blake. Yang had come back to the dorms exhausted, passing out on her bed at a god awful hour at night. Ruby was asleep in the top bunk of her bed. Weiss had returned at some point, but Jaune was nowhere in the room. Weiss had probably kicked him out, but Yang was too tired to care. At least Weiss had come back, tucked under her blankets safe and sound.

Her teammates were restless sleepers, tossing and turning in ways that they usually didn’t. Weiss normally didn’t thrash around, but tonight she rolled onto one side before turning to the other. Ruby did the same, although far more actively. Yang had finally fallen asleep to the unpleasant sight, but a few hours later when she woke up Blake still hadn’t returned.

The campus was quiet, late night partiers were probably sleeping in. Most of them were probably missing the first round of breakfast. Yang had bags under her eyes, rubbing at them tiredly as she went to the showers to rid herself of the smell of campfire and ash that caked her. It didn’t make her feel any better, but at least she was clean. Getting back to the room, Weiss was already sitting up and brushing out her long hair. Her body tightly coiled, stiff and methodical. Ruby was in her pajamas, looking despondently down at the thick book of fairytales that Blake had given to her.

“So, are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?” Yang asked, her voice like that of a knife’s edge.

“There isn’t anything to speak of.” Weiss replied, setting down her brush. Then she pulled her hair up into its usual fashion.

“Bullshit…”

“Blake didn’t come back at all last night, did she?” Ruby asked sadly.

“Nope, Pyrrha and I couldn’t find her.” Yang said, climbing up to the top bunk and collapsing onto her bed and groaning. Coming up empty handed was a huge blow to her ego. She was annoyed, the feeling was an old one, but the reason behind it was new. Every time her search for her mother gave her no results, it was the same sort of feeling. She couldn’t describe it, but it lingered in the back of her mind. Clouding her judgment and weighing on her. “I checked all of the places I could think of to look. She wasn’t at any of them.”

“Well, she must be around here someplace.” Weiss said haughtily. “I wouldn’t worry. She’ll come crawling back eventually. She will have to, if she cares at all about her grades. If not, she will drop out, as to be expected. If she does, we’ll merely arrange for a new teammate.”

“It doesn’t work like that, Weiss. We’d have to repeat the year. Teams stay together. If one of us fails, we all fail.” Ruby protested. “We can’t lose Blake.”

“We certainly can.” Weiss replied primly. She had looked into the matter, and found several loopholes. She was clinging to them now. “There are guidelines written into Beacon’s code of conduct that will allow a team to argue against the guidelines detailing the repetition of a school year. We have options to consider, and that should be our focus.”

“Yeah, and those are all a snowball’s chance in hell!” Yang told her. “Do you realize how hard it is to pull that off? It’s nearly impossible…”

“Yang’s right.” Ruby said quietly. “I don’t think it happens very often…”

“It isn’t easy, but it is certainly possible.” Weiss retorted, turning to glare at Yang. “If a team can unanimously provide adequate proof that the student was a detriment to the team in question, a new teammate may be issued by the faculty. A waitlisted Beacon Academy candidate will be found, and a trial mission will be assigned. From what I understand, it is very much like the initiation. If all parties involved pass the trial mission, all four students involved will be assigned a new team name and will continue the year as planned.”

“Fuck that.” Yang bit out. “We’re not kicking Blake out of the team.”

“She left.” Weiss bit back in return. “For all we know, she may drop out.”

“We’re not going to know until we find her and talk to her.” Ruby said, jumping down from her bed. “Until then, she’s part of team RWBY. We all are, and you guys really need to stop fighting…”

“Ruby Rose, your level of altruism serves no one at this moment in time. I am telling you this as your friend.” Weiss began, her lips thinning into a tight line as she spoke. Blue eyes glistening in her mix of determination and annoyance. “We won’t stand a chance appealing to the faculty on this unless we act as a united front against Blake Belladonna. As our team leader you need to think about what is best for everyone. Defending Blake doesn’t do that. If we must repeat the year, it will impact all of us in ways that you’re too blind to see.”

“I don’t understand why you’re so interested in getting rid of her.” Ruby said, shaking her head refusing to even consider the plan Weiss had come up with. “You’re acting like she’s never coming back, but we don’t know if she will or not.”

“If we’re removed from Beacon and sent to an auxiliary training school, the only ones left will be you and your sister. You will easily lose me as your assigned partner because I will be pulled from Beacon Academy the moment my father finds out.”

“Then we need to go look for her.” Ruby chipped out as she grabbed at her cloak.

“I have absolutely no intention of doing that.”

“Fine, you can stay here. I’m going to go look around.” Ruby insisted as she turned on her heel and stormed out of the dorm, the door clicking shut behind her a bit more forcefully than it needed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Woes Be Gone for helping to beta this fiction. Chapter done as of 9/10/2020.


	46. Searching For Sunlight Arc 2: Brass Tacks Chapter XLVI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, took a break. There was a lot of garbage going on at my end of things. We're back now, getting into the swing of it.

**Searching For Sunlight** **  
** **Arc 2: Brass Tacks** **  
** **Chapter XLVI**

(Beacon Academy Visitors Dorms, Saturday, 8:00 A.M.)

“You owe me bigtime.”

“I know, and I promise I’ll do you a solid whenever you ask for it.”

“What’s her story, anyway?”

“I don’t know, she wouldn’t really explain anything to me.”

“Look, Wukong I don’t get why in the world you reach out to every charity case you find, but this has to stop.”

“Look at her. She’s no charity case. She’s one of us.”

“You don’t know a thing about her. For all you know, she could be White Fang.”

“Arslan, come on… You don’t really believe that, do you?”

“I don’t know what I believe, and frankly I don’t need to believe anything. This was a one-time thing, Sun. You don’t get to bring her back here again.”

“Yeah, I know…”

Blake could hear the soft spoken words from beyond the door, but she couldn’t bring herself to be worried about what these people thought of her. They’d send her out on her way, and she would figure things out from there. She needed a plan, she just didn’t have one. Absently, she lifted her hand to her bow that was fastened tightly atop her head, not that she needed it. Sun had blabbed that she was a Faunus the moment they’d gotten to the room and convinced this team to give them a place to stay. She regretted every second of it.

“Yo, chill out a little. You’re cool, Sun’s just an asshole that gets everyone into trouble sometimes.”

Blake blinked, her back sliding as far back against the wall as it could get. The warm cup of tea was practically shoved in her face. The girl’s name was Reese, at least that’s what they’d been calling her.

“Reese, get out of her face. You’re upsetting her. Sun already traumatized the hell out of her, the last thing she needs is your gangster face freaking her out.” One of the boys said, a small laugh in his voice as she flipped through a comic book.

“Screw you Nadir.” Reese shot back, her middle finger sticking up at the man sitting on one of the beds cheekily. “She was like this since she got here, and Arslan can be an ass too.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that you look fresh out of the hood.”

“Whatever...” Reese said with a roll of her eyes. “Last I looked, you’re no preppy either.”

“Cut it out before I get Arslan in here to kick your asses.” Bolin grumbled, sitting at the nearby desk. “You two aren’t helping anyone acting that way. She doesn’t know that you two are just joking around. It’s intimidating to watch people throw insults when you don’t know the circumstance.”

“Yeah, sure take the fun out of it…” Reese shot back before she regarded Blake again. This time more gently. “He’s right though. We’re all good here. You’ve got nothing to be afraid of. By the way, these aren’t tats. It’s just makeup. I like it. Makes me feel cool. So, just chillax and have the tea. It’ll make you feel better, I swear.”

Blake took the tea nervously with a small nod. That seemed to appease the girl as she grinned and did a backflip onto her nearby empty bed that was rumpled in all directions. She lifted it to her lips taking a small taste, it was warm but not too hot. A thick blend of black tea that reminded her of home. It was robust and probably had a high caffeine content. It was only a little bitter. She could tell from the flavor that it was probably meant to be a breakfast blend. Grown in Mistral, and probably distributed as far as Menagerie. Leonardo Lionheart liked to expand the kingdom exports far and wide. Her parents had a love for tea, and she had acquired it. This was familiar, probably a popular brand. She just couldn’t figure out what one it was.

That was a skill her mother had, but Blake could never say she inherited it. Just thinking about that made her homesick as she looked down into the dark liquid. The reflection she saw in return was a faded image of herself. That, Blake decided, was fitting.

* * *

(Beacon Academy Campus, Saturday 9:00 A.M.)

Yang’s head hurt. Her mind was spinning. Looking for Blake hadn’t worked and her team started falling apart at the seams. They hadn’t been very strongly unified to begin with, but now it seemed like it really was a lost cause. She didn’t want to put that on Ruby. Her little sister had enough to deal with, but Yang knew what it was like to look for someone. Doing it with a head full of garbage never worked.

Drinking away her problems never worked either, but the flask in her hand was full, and a good friend would understand. Between sips of whiskey that had seen better days and a possible new perspective sitting beside her, Yang spilled out everything that had been twisting around in her mind. The spot was secluded, the outlook to Emerald Forest had a lot of benches but the ones closer to the entrance of the forest were almost never used.

“I mean, you’d think she’d take the whole partner thing seriously, right?” Yang questioned at the end of her spiel. The fights were one thing, but Blake’s guarded mentality was another. “If she really cared about that, why doesn’t she ever come to me? It’s like she doesn’t believe I’d throw down for her if she needed me to.”

“I don’t think that’s the problem.” Trifa said dryly. She’d known Yang for years, she knew what the blonde was capable of.

“Yeah, well I just wish I knew what it was then.” Yang bit out, lifting the flask to her lips. Her lips tingling at the sensation of the amber colored liquid. It lingered on her tongue, burning pleasantly down her throat. For all of it, the comfort she wanted to find just wasn’t there. “I feel like I’m the problem…”

“It sounds to me like you have feelings for her.” Trifa said as she pulled the flask back from Yang to take a swig.

“No way…” Yang shot back. “I mean, she’s hot, yeah. There’s just no way, though. I can’t have feelings for a person I feel like I don’t even know.”

“That’s not how it always works…”

“Blake never even talks to me about important things.”

At that Trifa nodded with a cocky know-it-all grin. “Yeah, but you want her to.”

Yang shrugged, conceding the point. It didn’t make her feel any better. A sigh slipped past her lips as she wrestled down the frustration that started to build. “It doesn’t matter what I want. She doesn’t seem to really care about that.”

“And you want her to care…”

“She just closes herself off and keeps me at arm’s reach all the time.”

“Pot meet kettle…”

“What the hell?”

“Yeah, Yang, what the hell?” Trifa asked, returning the perfect question right back at her. Taking another sip of the flask before passing it back to her friend. Trifa held fast. She wouldn’t let Yang back down from the conversation. She felt like they were getting somewhere, messy as it was. “You do the same thing, you know. It’s just a different tune to the same old dance.”

Lilac eyes rolled, skimming across the scenery in front of her. It was easier than looking her friend in the eye. “I think you’re reading way too far into this.”

“I think admitting it would bring up a long list of bad things you don’t want to think about.” Trifa shot back roughly. She had never been the kindest person. Why that never bothered Yang, Trifa would never know. Other people hated her for it. She didn’t blame them for being afraid of her. “Let’s face it, we have our own demons too. In some ways, we’re just as damaged as that girl. We’re just as defensive about it too.”

“It’s not the same…”

“It’s not so different, either.” Trifa grumbled, knowing first hand it was easy to be terrified of things you didn’t understand. It was easy to hate something that could pose a risk, and that was nature. Human nature, Faunus nature, it didn’t matter. It was common sense to be afraid of people like them. The reasons might have been different, but the results were the same.

For Trifa it was because of her Faunus heritage. She couldn’t hide that she was one, and the fact that she was a spider Faunus made everything worse. People were afraid of spiders. It was such a common fear. It was just easier to assume people would hate her if they knew her true nature. Yang had never cared about that. Webs set aside, combat style overlooked, rude personality accepted at face value, Yang never let any of it bother her.

Yang didn’t care that she was a poisonous Faunus. A type of Faunus able to take the life of another with the traits of her own body. Yang trusted her not to do harm, never thought twice about it. In a world where even some Faunus were rightfully afraid of her, Yang never had been.

Trifa wasn’t a complete moron. She was cunning, and calculating, and knew that such unquestionable loyalty came at a price.

“Yang, she thinks you’re a threat to her. I don’t know why, but she thinks you are. You can’t expect that it’ll all be sunshine and rainbows.” Trifa said softly. “You usually don’t care when people don’t like you. You’ve made enough enemies of your own, never bothered you before. I’ll bet that the only reason you’re so fucked up about this is because of what your mom did. I’d throw down money that this is cutting into old wounds.”

“Hey, don’t start that shit on me…”

“Too bad. I already started it. We’re friends. If I can’t start that shit with you, who can?” Trifa bit out. She had helped Yang look. Had taken the girl to places that she never really belonged just to help her find a woman who ran out on her years ago. A person that in Trifa’s opinion didn’t deserve a fraction of Yang’s time or an ounce of her attention. She had helped Yang look in spite of that, because it was what Yang wanted. Now, she couldn’t help but feel like all of that baggage was hurting Yang in other ways. “It’s either because of what your mom did to you, or that you give a real shit about this girl. It’s one of the two, it has to be. So, which one is it really?”

“I am nowhere near drunk enough for this.” Yang complained as she smacked her own face with her hand and groaned.

“Then drink and talk, stupid.” Trifa shot back. “We’ll sit here until you do.”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Dorms, Saturday 10:00 A.M.)

Coco adjusted the earpiece that continued to squeal in agony as Fox managed to find the absolute worst place to keep a beat on Blake Belladonna. The interference was so horrible that Velvet had muted the man hours ago.

“What’s that girl up to, now?” Coco asked as she continued to fill out one of the many mission request forms that her team needed to finish.

“Best guess I have is that she’s still just sitting there.” Fox reported. “Not like I can actually tell what the hell she’s doing, though.”

“Great…” Coco bit out. “That’s really helpful...”

“What am I missing?” Velvet asked.

“A whole lot of nothing on Fox’s end.” Coco sighed.

“Well, what do you want me to do?”” Fox questioned hotly. “You want me to go in there and get her?”

“No, it’s not our mess.” Coco told him. “I told you to keep track of her, you keep doing that and don’t get caught.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little too involved in all of this?” Yatsuhashi asked from his own position.

“I think you should shut up and watch the damn door.” Coco told him. “If anyone from RWBY or JNPR try to get in there you tell me.”

“No one has even passed by.” Yatsuhashi said. “This is boring, and we have better things to do.”

“You do what I tell you to do, big guy.” Coco said to him. “This might not be our mess, but we are the clean-up crew so suck it up and do your job.”

“Coco, couldn’t you just inform Ruby of Blake’s location? Failing that, couldn’t you at least tell her that you know Blake is alright?” Velvet asked softly. She had been ordered to tail Weiss, and watching the girl do little more than study was grating on her nerves. “You know she’s upset. Allowing her to have just that small detail might be of some help.”

“If I did that, she wouldn’t learn from this.” Coco said, placing down her pen and leaning back in her chair. “Blake’s safe, we know that. As long as we do, there’s no reason to tell that to the kid. I can’t just give her teammate back to her on a silver platter. She needs to learn that when bad things happen, she needs to pull everything back in line before it gets this far. This is her team, and her problem. Let her fix it herself.”

“Coco, you’re being cruel.” Velvet sighed. “Ruby’s only a child.”

“She’s got to learn the hard way. Beacon isn’t for kids, babe.”

“I think you’re being far too harsh on her. She skipped grades to be here, you need to keep that in mind.”

“What do you think I’m doing?” Coco finally asked. “I am thinking about it. There’s more going on in my head than just rocks. What, did you really think I have nothing better to do with my life then bully some first year kid?”

“No, I just think you may be expecting too much out of her.”

“This is the same little shit that beheaded a Nevermore, or did you forget that?”

“That would be impossible to forget.” Velvet merely sighed, long and slow. “Combat prowess and emotional maturity are not the same thing.”

“I’m being a hard ass because I know she can take it. In fact, she kind of has to. It’s the only way she’ll get her team really working together.” At that, Coco sagged from the weight of it all. She felt like a terrible person, but there were some things she just couldn’t do. “We keep an eye on them right now, but that’s as far as we go. If the team fails, that’s on them. If Ruby doesn’t figure this out tonight we pull back completely and let the cards fall however they end up.”

A rapid knocking came at the door. Coco couldn’t help but mutter curses under her breath. She knew it was probably Ruby. She didn’t want to have to deal with the girl right now, but she had no choice. “I’m going off of coms for a while. Keep your eyes on Frick and Frack.”

Coco turned off the feed and pulled the sound piece out of her ear. Placing both of them in her desk drawer she casually made her way to the door despite the continued knocking. When she opened it, Ruby stood there looking as frazzled as she had been the night before.

“What’s up?” Coco asked calmly, already knowing exactly what bothered Ruby.

“She didn’t come back…”

Those four little words made Coco curse under her breath as she grit her teeth. “What do you want me to do about that?”

“I don’t know…” Ruby said. “Help me look? Maybe we could try going into Vale or something?”

Coco was between a rock and a hard place. She should have reported this immediately if not sooner. A missing student was no small issue, and Beacon took it seriously. On the other hand, doing that wouldn’t teach this young first year student anything about being a real leader. Plus, Blake wasn’t truly missing at the moment. At least, not as far as the student handbook would be concerned. As long as Coco had that detail in her back pocket, she could keep up appearances without having to report anything.

“Don’t you get it? There are things I’m going to have to do if you don’t get your team in line. I don’t want to do that. You won’t want me to. So, here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to pretend we never talked, and that I don’t know a single thing about any of this.”

“But Blake is still missing…”

“Then find her, it’s that simple.”

“It’s that hard!” Ruby shouted, anger flaring in her silver eyes. “I don’t know where she is, or where else to look! I’m telling you I need help, and you’re not helping me!”

Coco raised her eyebrow, amused and annoyed. Little punk kids normally didn’t talk to her that way, but Ruby didn’t seem to care about that. She grabbed the girl and dragged her into the empty dorm room and closed the door behind her. “I get that you’re not in a good mood, but you need to cool it and think this through.” Coco said, looking over her shaded glasses and down at the girl. “My job is to make you into a good leader. It’s not to hold your hand and pat you on the head every single time you run into trouble.”

“I was told to go to you if I ever needed help. I was supposed to come to you, and so I did. What am I doing wrong now?”

“Nothing. You’re here, and I am helping.” Coco told her. “It might not seem like it kid, but keeping my nose out of this is the best thing I can do for you.”

Ruby was confused, and shook her head. “You just told me to pretend I haven’t come for help…”

“That’s to save your ass.” Coco told her. “I haven’t ratted you out yet, have I?”

Ruby shook her head. Saying nothing. She didn’t know what to say to that.

“That’s what I should do…” Coco trailed off with a small shrug. “I’m not doing that because I think you can fix this shit show you call a team. Am I wrong about that?”

“If I can’t find Blake, I don’t think I can fix anything. It’s a huge mess.”

“Yep.” Coco agreed. “It is, but it’s your team and your mess. Sit down a sec…”

“But-”

“Nah, I said sit your ass down.” Coco ordered, grabbing Ruby by the cloak and pushing her towards the chair. “Only butt in this debate is yours in that chair. Got it?”

Ruby sat down, feeling like another wave of scolding was about to hit her, but instead all Coco did was head to the fridge and pull out a can of soda.

“If I didn’t think you could do it, I would have already told Goodwitch.” Coco said, putting the can down on the desk. “Look, I’m not perfect either. I don’t have all the answers, and there are days when my team makes me lose my damn mind. No matter what though, they’re my team. We have bad days too, and no matter how awesome I look to you, I don’t have my license either.”

While that might be true, team CFVY were practically the superstars of Beacon Academy. It was hard not to be amazed by them. “But you guys are so great together.”

“Not really, Ruby.”

“You are though. You guys are best in the ranks for your year in combat.” Ruby wanted just a fraction of that kind of respect. “You get to go on all the awesome missions you want, and when you break the rules you don’t get in big trouble. Professor Port talks to you like you’re his friend.”

“He still gave me detention for letting you wander around during the student lockdown, kid.” Coco smirked. “We’re not friends, he’s my mentor. There’s a line, and always has been. Port’s easy going, but I’m still in training. I can get an ear full of it just like the rest of you if I fuck up too badly.”

“But you have a great team!” Ruby protested. “Most of us would love to have a team as successful as you.”

“We’re a mess, we’re just okay with that.” Coco reached for a cigarette, lighting it and trying to think of a way to put it into perspective. There was only one way that came to mind, and with it came a lot of dirty laundry. “Yatsuhashi says a lot of things he shouldn’t sometimes. Velvet knows he doesn’t mean to hurt her feelings. It still happens though. Fox is just an outright asshole, but when the chips are down we can put our bets on him in a second. As for me, I’m bitchy, self-absorbed, and don’t give a rats ass about what everyone else thinks about that.”

“I don’t understand…” Ruby told her. “You all get along so well. Even the professors talk about how close you all are. Professor Port has nothing but good things to say whenever he talks about prior missions with students in class. Oobleck too. They think you’re a great team.”

“They’re good teachers, but they’re not stupid. They just know we deal with it ourselves. The professors don’t have eyes on this room. I’m telling you this flat out. We get along great, until we don’t.” Coco said with a laugh. “Sometimes, we really don’t. For us, it’s fine. It works, but there’s only one reason why we can pull that off.”

“Why?”

“When our collective bullshit hits the fan, we’re all willing to get covered in it. As their leader, I’m usually the one neck deep in it.” Coco said, taking a deep drag on her smoke. “We are who we are, and that’s how it is. We accept that and live with it. Just because we’re dysfunctional as hell sometimes, that doesn’t change the fact that we’re a team. When we all have our heads up our asses, we have to agree on that. The same goes for you. When things go wrong you need to work through it together, that’s what it means to be a team.”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Campus, Saturday 12:00 PM)

The flask was empty, but Yang’s mind wasn’t. Beneath the mild buzzing that was constant when she continually kept a flow of booze in her system, a clarity continued to cling beyond the warm haze. A few more shots would make her drunk, but this was the sweet spot. Her tongue was loose. Her thoughts were mostly coherent. She kept the vague idea that Trifa might be right to herself. Denial was easier, in spite of the picture that her stubborn friend continued to paint for her.

Besides, even if she did have feelings for Blake, it didn’t matter. Blake ran off, and as long as she stayed missing there was nothing Yang could do about them. Catharsis wasn’t going to be easy if she really admitted that Blake meant something more important to her. Then again, it wasn’t going to be easy even if she didn’t.

“Just pretend you did like her.” Trifa suggested when Yang once again denied that she had any romantic involvement with her partner. “Would you tell her?”

“I don’t think that I could.” Yang shrugged. “I don’t though, so it’s not really an issue.”

“Yet, you’re still just sitting there obsessing…”

“Have you seen my team?” Yang shot back. “I’ve got a lot to obsess about.”

“Yeah, okay, sure, you just keep thinking that.” Trifa said as she rolled her eyes. Although there was nothing in the flask anymore, she still turned it around in her hand. Watching as the metal glistened against the sunlight. “You don’t have to think much of your team. I know I don’t think much about mine.”

“But aren’t you the team leader of yours?”

“Yeah, but it’s not a big deal. We do what we need to do and be done with it.”

“I don’t think I can look at things that way.”

“Why not?” Trifa asked after a soft scoff. “And don’t even start the Ruby’s your sister bullshit. That’s a totally different thing.”

“Not when she’s also my team leader…”

“So what? Family is family. A team doesn’t need to be the same way.”

“Trifa…”

“No, I’m serious. She’s your sister, big damn deal. You don’t need to pull the family card every time you turn around. She got here on her own, let her deal with it.” Trifa shrugged then, sighing as she reclined back on the bench. It was a nice day outside, but for Yang’s foul mood it might as well have been raining. “You’ve got your own stuff to deal with right now, and yeah there might be some crossover, but that’s it.”

Yang didn’t believe that. Maybe Trifa was right, but it didn’t feel that way.

Bonds had been forming slowly, in some ways imperceptibly. It was the little moments Yang couldn’t get out of her head. It was Ruby’s restless clinging to her dream, each day the girl got one step closer to it. It was in Blake’s far off gaze, or her quips at the dinner table. It was in the way that Weiss took to her studies, pushing the team along to match her exuberant effort for top marks. That unquenchable pursuit, even when the lessons themselves weren’t even remotely desirable to the high class woman. Weiss and Blake fought more often than not, but they weren’t outright enemies, either. There was a lot of bad blood and extremely different points of view, but Yang knew they could be stronger for that.

If…

And she knew it was  _ only _ if they wanted to. That was the condition. They couldn’t give up as a team.

All four of them needed to see things with the same outlook in mind. Weiss and Blake needed to put aside their egos. Ruby had to really start growing up fast. As for herself, Yang wasn’t sure. She had no idea where she fit, but the supporting role she had lived her entire life was no longer suitable. Maybe with Ruby around she was playing second fiddle, letting the team get into trouble because being greedy and selfish for herself wasn’t an option.

Maybe owning up to the things she wanted was the only option she had left. What she wanted didn’t line up with her teammates. She didn’t want to be the good little girl who kept her head down for Ruby’s sake alone. She didn’t want to be beholden to Weiss and her high class sensibilities. She didn’t want Blake to leave. If she could have had what she really wanted, the problems facing her team today wouldn’t have happened in the first place.

“It feels like way more than that to me.” Yang finally said.

“Then what does it feel like, Yang?”

“It’s this feeling I have, I guess. A gut thing. Like I can’t let it go like this. We’ve got to find Blake because something deep down is telling me that’s the right call to make.”

“Sounds like instinct to me.” Trifa said, understanding exactly what Yang was talking about. Those moments when she just  _ knew _ what she had to do. Even if they defied logic, she just knew it was the right thing. “Humans have it too, you know. You people just don’t like to admit it because it puts Faunus that much closer to your level. You guys hate that.”

“Yeah well did you ever think that if this is what instinct feels like for a human maybe that’s why we hate it so much?” Yang asked, earning a laugh from her friend in response. “I feel like shit.”

“That part is probably just guilt.”

“Thanks… Feels a lot better now with salt in the wound…”

“Yeah, well that’s me. Always willing to hold the shaker.” Despite the dark humor she took in seeing Yang like this, the sincerity was what kept her around. “Either way, it’s not always a bad thing to go with your gut on something. We Faunus do it all the time. If you told all of this to Blake like that, maybe she would understand where you’re coming from.”

“That’s assuming I ever find her.” Yang bit out, even as that gut reaction made her want to punch something. “It’s like we could be way more than just the average Beacon team if we just gave even half a damn about it. It’s like if we let this go now, there’s no telling what we could have been. I don’t want to end up looking back on this and hating myself for it.”

“And you’ve got a crush on her. Maybe don’t leave that part out.”

“Shut up…”

* * *

(Beacon Academy Visitors Dorms, Saturday 1:00 P.M.)

The members of team ABRN weren’t unkind. If anything they had been more than accommodating. She wanted to trust them, but the concept was such a fickle and impossible thing. She didn’t belong among them, every instinct told her that. She had a place, and she ruined it, just like every other time in her life. She didn’t know why she was so compelled to run away from her problems, but the habit was like an addiction. She couldn’t kick it.

It started when she was little. That much she knew. While the other children were happy to play, some of them very roughly, she wasn’t interested in their games. Tag was a favorite game among Faunus. The idea of chasing someone called back to long lost hunting instincts, but that was not the same as joining her father to scout for food. One only offered victory as a prize, and the other gave the satisfaction of a job well done.

That satisfaction always appealed to her, made her feel useful. She wasn’t excited to join the gentler Faunus for chores. Gathering water, mending clothes, repairing wagons and setting up camp were tasks she took no pleasure in. It wasn’t the same as tending the weapons and prowling the wilds. While the rest of the world came with complicated social baggage, the wilderness was simple. It was easy to understand it, and to get along with it.

During her father’s time in the White Fang traversing the landscape was a core part of the Faunus movement. He made trips often, and she was at his side. It was a life she had preferred in the grand scheme. Being a huntress fit into that easy mold. She could spread her message and prove herself, but she could also be away from the kingdoms that didn’t care to listen to the Faunus begging them to be heard.

It was easier to speak with those outside of the kingdom walls. Providing aid to villages and remote settlements fostered good will among the smaller communities. It was easier to get people willing to listen when those giving the speeches brought supplies and knowledge along with them. Education was a touchstone. Like everyone else who chose to wander the lands, White Fang caravans knew how to utilize every aspect of the wilds to their advantage. For her father, it had been a small stepping stone to a greater aim.

For her, it seemed like fate, but even that was running too. Everything she did ended up with the same outcome. She ran away from the difficulties in one way or another. Running away from her team was just another act of cowardice at the end of the day.

“Yo, someone want to open the door? I’ve got the grub!”

The loud banging on the door made it clear that it was Sun. Arslan glared at the man just as soon as Bolin answered the door. A white paper bag of food shoved into his hands for the trouble. “What took you so long?” Bolin asked as he unfolded the bag to take out the paper cartons of food within. The smell of stir-fry began filling the room.

“You jerks had me running all over campus.” Sun said, wagging his tail at all of them as though it were an accusatory finger. He dumped the other set of bags onto the desk before carefully extracting his own meal from the mess. “Not even my boys do this crap to me.”

“Aw don’t be like that. We knew you could handle it, Sun.” Reese said with a laugh. “Consider it payment for harboring your fugitive.”

“Yeah, yeah… I owed you…” Sun muttered as he put a wrapped sandwich and a bottle of water in front of Blake. He had no clue if she would even like it, but he had to make the attempt. “I talked to the team, the boat had to take the long way around to avoid a storm, so they’re not in yet. Looks like I’ll be waiting around a while until they get here.”

“Not here you won’t.” Arslan warned. “You still owe me, by the way. This is risky business you’ve dragged us into. I won’t be forgetting the debt any time soon.”

He ignored her as he sat down beside Blake. She hadn’t moved, and wasn’t talkative in the slightest. “Hey, don’t mind them, okay? You really should eat something…” Sun told her, pointing at the wrapped sandwich and potato chip bag he’d gotten from one of the food vendors downstairs.

Blake didn’t have an appetite. She didn’t want the food. Really, she didn’t even see the point of his kindness. He didn’t even need to bother with her. To buy her food, or worry about her. Here he was trying to be helpful anyway. It was as endearing as it was infuriating. She could tell he wouldn’t be swayed, it was just his personality. That was the way he was.

Sun took another bite of his own sandwich, stuffing it into his cheek as he spoke. “If you don’t like it, I can always get you something else.”

“She should just eat that and be thankful for it.” Arslan bit out. “You asked her what she wanted and she refused to answer you. You’re being too nice to her.”

“Hey, it’s no biggie.” Sun said with a cheerful shrug. His tail wrapping around the bottle of juice he’d gotten for himself as he lifted it to his lips. “She’s just having a rough time.”

“Fine…” Arslan grumbled under her breath. “Have it your way, but you two are out of here by tomorrow morning. You’d better have a plan figured out by then.”

“Also, you’re totally buying dinner.” Reese agreed.

* * *

(Beacon Academy Library, Saturday 2:00 PM.)

The White Fang was comprised of several factions spread across the kingdoms. The highest position was known as the High Leader, and the current Faunus in charge was a woman by the name of Sienna Khan. Below her, there were the factions among the kingdoms. The ones in charge of overseeing the organizations on a kingdom-by-kingdom basis. These branches then extended further to the outreach programs. Each organizer in charge of one particular aspect in furthering the Faunus cause.

Weiss could only sigh as she glared down at her scroll. She had woken to an incredibly large document regarding the oversight of Atlas’s small White Fang contingent. If one followed the money and the formal documents, everything seemed to be on the up-and-up. Her sister had been kind enough to send the information, and nothing was clearly amiss when it came to the formalized work approved by the military.

However, that was only one side to the story. It was true that full teams of lawyers, medical staff, volunteers, and those simply willing to lend the Faunus aid followed every law to the letter.

However, for every signature that marked a proposal approved by General Ironwood, there were a handful of others that had been denied. Those numbers added up. The collection of requests made void, or flat out refused before the documents could even reach his desk.

It was lip service, plain and simple. Many of the names on the slips were people in key places of political standing. She wondered if General James Ironwood was even aware that these other documents had been submitted. She couldn’t help but wonder if he spared the time to dig into the mountains of compiled documentation that proved without question that the White Fang’s efforts were being cut off at the knees.

Partially, she wondered if he would even be permitted to revitalize the voided complaints even if he did see them. The workplace documents were certainly among the worst. The Schnee Dust Company alone had formal complaints that spanned decades. Weiss had often suspected that the company’s problems ran deep. Seeing the proof in front of her was an entirely different matter.

The White Fang often demanded reform, but that reform had gone on to be continually denied by the board members of the company. This too found its way into the endless attempts to have it addressed directly by the council. The council was decidedly Anti-Faunus, and they always had been. The corruption in the government had been muttered about for years, but this was the first time Weiss had seen any credibility to any of it.

What angered her the most came down to her father’s own company, and the family name it further tarnished. The far more dangerous prison mines weren’t up to code either, if the complaints were to be believed. She bit her lower lip and closed her scroll. The entire thing left a foul taste in her mouth, her scroll closing in a white knuckled grip that carefully contained her rage.

She could have called Winter, ranting endlessly about all of the tiny details that were obviously slipping unnoticed beneath the nose of the military. She would place her bets that Winter expected her to do strictly that. It fell into line perfectly with the way she looked up to Winter. Idolizing her older sister for doing what she could in the face of a world that didn’t take kindly to change.

There was only one problem. The answers she wanted couldn’t come from Winter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited as of 10/23/2020. Thanks to Woes Be Gone for suffering through it.


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finally got the time to start posting this up again. It's been a long wait, and I'm sorry for that. It wasn't in my plans, but life happened. I'm back now, and you'll be receiving updates once more. 
> 
> As a warning though, Woes Be Gone was not able to beta read this chapter for me due to a snowstorm. Therefore, any mistakes are my own.

**Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 2: Brass Tacks  
Chapter 47  
**  
(Glynda’s Office: Saturday, 3:00 PM.)

Was Blake right? Could there be any value, even the slightest, in Blake’s words?

Weiss couldn’t help but wonder about them. The echoes of her own past cutting so deeply into her that even the thought alone was ludicrous. She couldn’t help that she found it so outrageous, even after the compilation of documents indicated there was more to the story.

Surely the White Fang were criminals. They were abhorrent in action and in name. She refused to budge on that notion even slightly. They needed to be stopped, and that wasn’t a question. Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about Blake’s words. She couldn’t ignore Blake’s insistence that the White Fang had been pushed into using backhanded tactics to do what needed to be done. Perhaps the White Fang didn’t have a choice, and that was a sickening thought.

As the heiress to one of the many esteemed companies under fire, Weiss couldn’t imagine that the systems that ran the world were so flawed. She had always placed her faith into the government. She had trusted it, but now she wondered if it suffered from more than merely surface level corruption. If Ironwood was powerless, or even worse, complicit? What did that mean for the future of the kingdom?

She couldn’t even fathom that. It had to be absurd, but if it wasn’t…

If there was a slim chance, no matter how miniscule Weiss had to know. If Blake told even a fraction of the truth, something needed to be done. She went in search of Glynda, because if anyone would understand the need for discretion, it would be her.

She had to wait in line. Other girls had pre-existing appointments regarding their education, and Weiss found herself sitting for the better portion of an hour out in the hall. Her foot idly tapping in a mix of displeasure and annoyance. Glynda had encouraged her to log an appointment, but Weiss refused to wait that long. She wanted answers, and she wanted them instantaneously. As soon as she stepped foot into the professor’s office her pretense of a student came crashing down. The click of the lock might as well have been the hammer falling.

She wasn’t here as just a huntress-in-training. She was here as a Schnee. Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. If that was an abuse of her own power and clout, so be it…

“Thank you for taking time out of your day to see me. Before we begin though, let me make one thing clear. Anything I say in this room will not go on record, it can’t.” Weiss said firmly, making it quite clear she wasn’t here for the normal games that came with being in formal education. “Furthermore, any details we exchange from this point on are to be held in the strictest aspects of confidentiality. It cannot leave this room.”

“As any student would expect of me, I assure you.” Glynda replied, assuming that whatever Weiss needed to discuss was of personal importance to the girl. “Beacon Academy doesn’t make the habit of airing personal information when it isn't absolutely prudent to do so.”

“As if any part of my formal education would require the level of non-disclosure that I currently demand,” she replied, her words hardly the intimidation for Glynda Goodwitch that they would be for anyone else. Aptly though, it got the point across.

Glynda set the student file down. “I take it you are not here to discuss your classes in some form or another.”

“I’m here to talk about the White Fang.” Weiss said.

Glynda’s eyes glinted dangerously. The professor faded, the huntress emerged. Her voice bit into the air with an almost murderous precision. “The White Fang? Did they make an attempt on your life?”

“If only it were that simple. That I’m used to, it wouldn’t be the first time a Schnee would be targeted. Certainly not the last, I presume.”

“Why the interest, then?”

“I was sent some rather disturbing information. I need your professional opinion on it, and perhaps something else.” Weiss said primly. “That being said, you might as well consider this a formalized mission. I want your word as a huntress that this topic does not leave the confines of this room.”

The air between them slowly shifted. In this way the two of them were in their own wheelhouses. Speaking closer to equals than mere teacher and student. Glynda stiffened, finding herself displeased with the manner in which she was regarded. Then again, this was Winter’s younger sibling, and that woman didn’t tend to beat around the bush. It would be foolhardy to forget just what family this particular student belonged to, or the way she had been raised.

“You realize that I do not often take mission assignments from anyone other than Ozpin, don’t you?”

“Just as you surely realize I can’t take the matter lightly.”

“Certainly, but even so…”

“It is so.” Weiss agreed with a small nod. “You know the topic, you know I’m involved, and you know I have documents that I require a professional opinion on. However, this has very little to do with my formal huntress training. Therefore, any involvement you take must come with the bylaws of mission, like it or not. If you don’t wish to help me, I will have to seek my aid elsewhere.”

“I will need more information. That this is off the record concerns me greatly.” Glynda motioned to the sofa, offering Weiss a seat. “The information is classified, I presume.”

“Not even in the slightest. Even you could find this paper trail if you wanted to. It’s the questions I have that are more celandine in nature.”

“Was it Winter who sent this information to you?”

“That goes without saying, as that would be why you could find the selfsame paper trail if you wished.”

“What are the nature of the documents in question?”

“Red tape.” Weiss said, producing her scroll and between two fingers. “On the surface everything certainly seems as it should from the White Fang’s side of things. At least, as far as I can tell. It is their dealings with the government that seems to be at a standstill. I find it hard to believe that the White Fang are so innocent though, given their previous and recurring actions.”

“What is the mission you ask of me, then?” Glynda was compelled to wonder. After all, Weiss had mention that it might not only be information that she was after. “You said there could be something more.”

“That’s twofold.” Weiss murmured with a chill that was not unlike her elder sibling. A product of her upbringing. “This is going to be a two way street, you’ll get something you want out of this too. However, I get what I want first.”

“Allow me to see the scroll, I may be able to be of some help.” Glynda replied.

Weiss was not about to relinquish it just yet, if at all. “I want your word you’ll keep things quiet.”

“We will see about that.” Glynda told her. “I don’t agree to anything blindly, I have more sense than that. What sort of game do you think you’re playing?”

“My terms are simple. Firstly, I want to know everything you know about the White Fang. A compilation of their every calculated move that you know of. Every heist, every attack, every time one of them traversed the kingdoms. I want all of it, down to the tiniest sordid detail. This includes known members, their affiliations, and any involvement they may have with other known extremist groups.” Weiss told her, unwilling to hand over her scroll until they had made the deal. “Secondly, I want an investigation done on my father’s company. I want it done quietly. I want to know what’s going on in those dust mines from someone who won't scrub the report clean.”

Glynda bit back her surprise, refusing to allow a single hint of it to show upon her stern expression. That was more than she expected, but Weiss was astute. Young and brash in her own ways, perhaps. Cunning all the same. Quite frankly she was mildly impressed, but the girl was going to get in over her head at this rate. It was time to take the matter a bit more seriously.

If Weiss wanted to see the true nature of a huntress, Glynda would show her strictly that.

“That’s not child’s play, I’ll give you that.” Glynda told her as she removed her glasses and leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. “However, I’d never be able to capitulate to that request. The information you ask for is not something I could willingly offer. It would not only put you at risk, it would call my loyalty to Vale into question. Neither of those outcomes appeal to me.”

Weiss had firmly expected that, but she had her own cards to play. “Then allow me to just say this. I have it on astoundingly good authority that there are students with White Fang affiliations in Beacon Academy. I will find out the details one way or the other. I have other contacts, it is within my means.”

“Doubtful, but I do admire your attempt at idle threats…”

“It could very well be a promise for all you know.” Weiss told her. “It would be a shame if those details unearthed things that Vale might not want to be public knowledge.”

At that, Glynda cracked open her eyes. “Well played, for a student. You won’t let this go, now will you?”

“I may not be a huntress yet, but I know these kinds of games all too well. Anyway, I’m sure you know who these students are, which would make handing out names pointless. I know that’s not a bargaining chip.” Weiss said briskly. “It’s what I don’t have that I want. Asking those contacts could make quite a mess of thing, though.”

“If you are aware of that, you shouldn’t trifle in these matters.” Glynda sighed.

“It’s too late for that.”

“Alright then, let me begin by saying this. I will give you whatever professional advice you wish. As a huntress it comes with the job, as your teacher it is in my vested interest to educate you. However, you will not receive Vale’s documents regarding the White Fang. You will only receive what I choose to disclose to you personally.” Glynda said, replacing her glasses. “As for the investigation into the SDC, that has been done at great length already. Granting you access to that paperwork would be impossible. That being said, I have my own information regarding the conditions within the mines. If that suffices to you, I’ll explain that instead.”

That was the best offer was going to get, and she knew it. She’d take it. “Fine, we have a deal.”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself.” Glynda said, holding up a single hand to still the brazen girl in front of her. “There is one more matter to speak about. If this is to be treated as a mission, adequate compensation will be expected.”

“If it happens to be money that you want, I’m sure I could pay the fee.”

Glynda merely smirked darkly, standing from her chair as the opportune lesson presented itself. She rounded the small coffee table with precision, her movement fluid as she bent down menacingly enough to rattle her student. It was working, the subdued panic on her student’s face proved Weiss hadn’t expected this. She was like a deer in headlights, perhaps more akin to a terrified fawn in gazing into the jaws of a beast.

Unsure of the danger, and yet knowing that it was somehow not safe.

“You have too much left to learn about this world, child. You’re out of you league.” Glynda murmured in her ear, one hand sliding up to rest on the girl’s throat. One squeeze was all it would take. That was the point. Her aura was too tangible in the air. “What you offer is superflourious at best. Money means nothing to a woman who could gut the average shareholder in his sleep.”

“You wouldn’t dare…” Weiss bit out, though she didn’t move a muscle.

“I wouldn’t need to kill you to break you, you wealthy little brat.” Glynda said dangerously, merely tightening her fingers slightly. Her fingers finding a rapid pulse pounding away. Fear in the purest form. “Most would want to sully you, tarnish everything about you. I could ruin you without a second thought. Now, you listen to me very closely. If a mission’s not on the board, it’s not clean. Unclean missions lead to filthy things. You’d do well to remember that the next time you approach a huntress for an under the table mission. Do you understand me?”

“Y-yes.” Weiss barely breathed, swallowing hard at the caress of Glynda’s fingers. The damage they could do wasn’t lost on her. “Crystal clear.”

“Good, because I would loathe having to prove the point further.” Glynda said as she pulled away, her vicious expression fell away a moment later. “There are rules in place about missions for a reason. You are my student, it’s my job to teach you to be a satisfactory huntress. That means you must uphold yourself to a certain degree of integrity. I wasn’t fibbing about the dangers, either. You’re too wet behind the ears to play with kingdom politics and matters regarding the White Fang. I hope you see that now.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Weiss said, thoroughly chastised. “It won’t happen again.”

“I should think not.” Glynda agreed, rather unkindly at that. “You are dismissed, get out of my sight before I expel you.”

As Weiss shakily got up to leave an afterthought came to her professor.

“Oh, and one more thing. The White Fang has been around for generations. Almost all Faunus attending the academies have some sort of affiliation with them. Being a former member of the White Fang, or having that affiliation through blood or friendship does not outright promise violent or criminal activity. Therefore Beacon Academy prides itself on allowing these Faunus a chance at brighter future. There are no particularly violent Faunus among the student body. Only brazenly misguided youths, like yourself. Do well to remember that.”

\--

(Beacon Academy Cafeteria: Saturday, 5:00 PM.)

“We’ve checked everywhere.” Ruby said as she pushed her mashed potatoes and peas around on her plate. She had no interest in eating them. The roast beef had barely been touched at all.

“We’ll find her.” Nora said wagging her fork around before stabbing it into a piece of her chicken. She was about to place it into her mouth before a thought struck her and she wagged the fork around again almost as if it helped her to think. “Hey, Ruby... You think Blake could be someplace she knows we wouldn’t try looking?”

“What do you mean?” Ruby grumbled into her palm.

“Well you know, if I wanted to be found then I’d probably go to the obvious places, but if I didn’t…” The peppy girl trailed off with a shrug, finally popping the morsel into her mouth. “I mean, not that I’d know where those places were, but you know what they say. It’s always in the last place you look.”

“You don’t have to look anymore if you’ve found the thing you’ve lost…but it’s a whole lot harder when it’s a person you’re trying to find…” Ruby said, seeing the value in Nora’s point. The whole thing was just too disheartening. “I lose my scroll all the time, but it doesn’t just get up and walk around…”

“It could if you built it little robotic legs…”

“Nora, I don’t think it works that way.” Ren sighed sadly, shaking his head.

“No, no, no. This is no time to get all mopey, and you’re missing the point. We all just need to think out of the box a little, and we can’t be sad while we’re doing it.” Nora told him pointedly as she set down her fork. “There’s always a clue or a sign someplace. Blake didn’t just magically turn invisible. Maybe she did something before running away, or maybe she left something important behind. Something that’ll tell you she’d not really gone for good, and she’ll come back eventually.”

“She left all of her stuff.” Ruby said. “I mean, like everything but the clothes on her back, her weapon, and her scroll. My uncle comes and goes like that all the time, but if she’s anything like him she’ll never need to come back.”

“Needing to and wanting too are kind of different though.” Nora murmured. “If it was as big of a fight as you say it was, maybe she’ll come back on her own eventually. If you really want to find her before then, then you’ve got to put yourself in her position and think like she does.”

“Nora’s probably right.” Jaune said, hunched over his own meal as he gave it some thought. “I mean, I know it was a different situation, but I ran off a lot. Having nothing but sisters around gets old real fast when you just feel like doing guy stuff. I mean sure some of them were tomboys, but it’s just not the same. Sometimes I just wanted to be on my own, so I’d go to places they’d never think to look. Usually it was in dad’s workshop, but most of my sisters were afraid of going in there as kids because of all the mice and spiders.”

“Ruby, are you sure you can’t think of any place that Blake might go that we haven’t checked?” Pyrrha asked.

“No, unless she’s someplace in Vale, I don’t think there’s anywhere else she’d go.”

“What about the places you know she wouldn’t.” Jaune asked her then. “The places you think she’d never go in a million years.”

Ruby thought on that, scowling down at her plate. “Well, there’s the VIP clubhouse on the top floor of the activity center, but you have to be really rich to get in there. There’s no way she could even go up the elevator."

"I've checked there many times just to be sure as well." Pyrrha added.

Rub nodded. "The only place else I can think of after that is the visitor’s dorms, but there’s no way she’d be there…”

“Why couldn’t she be?” Jaune asked Ruby honestly. “What makes you so sure?”

“Because Blake’s just… well, she’s Blake.” Ruby shrugged then. Pushing her meal aside. “She’s not very sociable, and those dorms are full of strangers. The ones I’ve run into are all so friendly. Blake kind of acts like she hates people she doesn’t really know. She would probably would never go there willingly.”

Pyrrha thought about that as she tucked a chin into her palm. “When I really think about it, I have to say that I’m surprised that this didn’t happen sooner. It isn’t as if we know much about her past. This isn’t something I like to admit, but I tend to find many people join huntsman academies because they don’t have many other options.”

Nora visibly bristled at that statement, looking incredibly uncomfortable in the face of something she had come to understand from firsthand experience. She shook herself out of it, Pyrrha was right. There was no reason to pretend otherwise. She felt Ren’s hand fall onto her shoulder. The statement made him uncomfortable too, and Nora only needed to feel the slight tremble in his fingers to know that. Going after Grimm suited them. Helping the world had given them both a reason to go on with their lives, but it wasn’t a dream for them. Far away from it. For Ren and herself, it was a nightmare they wanted to end for good.

Nora took a breath, but she was just as lost as she had been before. “It doesn’t matter why she came here. What matters is that she did. I just don’t understand why Blake would up and disappear. She’s training to be a huntress, and huntresses don’t get to do things like this. They can’t just run away when things get hard.”

“But she did…” Ruby muttered. “Sorry guys, I think I want to go for a walk. I’m not really all that hungry anyway.”

\--

(Beacon Academy Grounds: Saturday, 12:00 AM. Heart of midnight.)

Coco called back her teammates, telling them to get some rest. Hands in her pockets she walked down one of the dimly lit corners of the academy grounds. She was in search of one person, and only one in particular. Velvet had been watching the Schnee girl from afar all day. The girl had been unreasonably spooked by something, though Velvet had no clue what that was. Coco let out a long sigh when she found the troubled first year exactly where she had been apparently sitting for the last hour. Wringing that wrinkled white handkerchief to its last fiber. It was crinkled and crumpled with no obvious signs that it had once been pressed to perfection and folded away neatly like a young debutant would expect to keep it.

“You’re lucky that you get bypassed for curfew during the festivities.” Coco said dryly, a joint in her fingers lighting up as she took a deep breath in and held it.

“Leave me alone…”

“Get your ass handed to you by a teammate once and it fucks you up, huh?” Coco said as she sat down beside the girl.

“I’ve asked you to please not disturb me.” Weiss said, her voice raspy as though she had been crying.

“Tough shit, kid. You’re not getting rid of me. The way see it, we can have this conversation the easy way or the hard way. Easy way is you talk to me. You don’t want to know the hard way. So my advice is you chill out and take a hit, Schnee.” Coco said offering her the joint, noticing that Weiss was not keen to take it. Finally she retracted the denied offer, and put it to her lips once more. “Suit yourself. Either way, we’re talking.”

“Why are you so insistent on sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong?” Weiss bristled. “Don’t you have anything better to do than harass me at every opportunity?”

Coco didn’t take the bait. The haughty defensiveness didn’t bother her. “You need to toughen up. Talking a big game like you do is worthless if you can’t back it up. You’re in too deep on this one. I’m not saying this to be an ass, I’m saying it because your daddy dearest _is_ an ass. He raised you to be one too, and it’s not doing you any favors. Through this whole mess I’ve played the good cop and the bad cop, but the games are done now. I’m sick of waiting for you to pull the icicle out of your butt and get it together.”

“I’ve been doing the best I can, not that you seem to take notice…”

“You need to find Blake.”

“No, I truly don’t.”

“Yeah, you do.” Coco said as she brushed a lock of hair away from her eyes. “I’ve already nailed Ruby for letting her team be this stupid, but you’re even higher on my shit-list right now. You’re her partner, you _owe_ her your full support. Blake ran off, but you left Ruby on her own too. She came to me thinking she’s a worthless leader, but from this side of the fence it looks like it’s the other way around. Looks to me like her team doesn’t have her back…”

“She refuses to oust Blake from the team and take this to the faculty, and that puts us all at risk of being expelled!”

“She’s not ready to throw in the towel yet, you idiot!” Coco yelled before scowling and scratching her head roughly. Then she sighed, Mata would have taken to the faculty in a heartbeat. She should have too, but she wasn’t going to do that to Ruby. No, not now, not ever. That kid had fight in her, and so help her, Coco wasn’t going to toss in the towel either. Still, unless Weiss was willing to cooperate, there was nothing she could do.

“Blake ran off, all we can do is salvage the team and move on.”

“That’s not your call to make, and you have no right to force that onto your teammates like that. Ruby’s doing the best she can, and she’s got no back-up. None. Certainly not from you.” Coco told her, more than a little angry that Weiss was too angry to see the damage she was doing. “Fuck Weiss, open your god damned eyes… I know you’re smarter than this. You know I’ve got my connections. I could plop Blake back in your dorm in a hot second if I thought it’d do any good, but if you’re not going to pull your head outta your ass there’s nothing I can do…”

“It won’t do any good, because Blake can’t be trusted.”

“See?” Coco bit out. “That… Right there… That’s why I haven’t dragged Blake back to your dorm personally…”

“Ruby should be backing the people she can trust.”

“Well she sure as hell can’t trust you, now can she?” Coco said sarcastically. “Obviously you don’t trust her. If you did, you’d do what she says, even if you don’t agree. If you trusted her not to do wrong by you, you’d take the command. If Ruby had said jump, you’d ask how high. If Ruby said Blake’s still a teammate, you’d say yes ma’am. That’s how this should go, but you haven’t done that. You want to know why your team is in shambles, take a good look in the mirror. You’ve done your leader, your team, and yourself dirty on this one...”

“You don’t understand.”

“Oh… I do.” Coco said softly. “More than you know…”

“How could you possibly know anything?”

“I was raised in in that would too. I saw the White Fang crap first hand. We’ve all lost people, and it’s easier to be pissed off than to hurt. Here’s the thing though, a rabbit Faunus who wouldn’t hurt a fly much less an innocent human ended up on my team. Then I started to really realize something. The White Fang hurts her too. It hurts her every day, because when people in power are angry at the White Fang, they take it out on Faunus like her too.”

“That was never my intention. I know Velvet would never hurt anyone. I’ve seen what Cardin does, and she’s never even said a mean word to him.”

“You say that, but you don’t act like it.” Coco said darkly. “If you feel like crap, all the better, because at least then you know never to pull this kind of garbage again.”

“You say that like I was the one in the White Fang!”

“No… It’s worse than that. It’s way, _way_ worse than that, Weiss.” Coco said gravely. “You’re acting like your abuser… your mimicking him, and you don’t even see it.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“You chose to act like your dad. You looked down your nose at a Faunus just for being one, and you didn’t give a rat’s ass who it might hurt. All you cared about as how justified you thought you were. Just like he never gives a shit about other people, you chose not to give a shit either. You were upset, and they got all the backlash. You abused your team, just like he abuses you.” Coco sighed then, shaking her head. “You keep going down this path, you know where it leads.”

Weiss said nothing to this, biting her lip hard enough to hurt.

“Look, you’ve all got to clean this mess up yourselves. I can’t help you, because there are problems you’ve all got to fix. I can’t force you to do that. You have to want it. If you want to be better than your dad, start acting better. Do it before it’s too late.” Coco told her seriously. “You woman up, and you be the sort of person you want to be. That’s what you do. You find Blake, and you do it together. You fix this Weiss, and you never let this happen again. Word is that Blake’s taking the next flight out to Vale in the morning. That’s all the help you’re getting.”

\--

(RWBY dorm: Sunday, 6:00 AM.)

Weiss entered the dorm room with her weapon at the ready and combat attire in place. Coco’s words didn’t sit well with her. Mostly, because that woman was right. She was so incredibly right that it made Weiss want to just go home. To forget about ever being a huntress. Yet, she knew what would happen when she did. Everything would go back to the way it used to be. Nothing would change, and her life would once again be ruled by a man that was too blind to see beyond his own whims.

Her father was an awful man. Weiss had always know that. Yet, he was still her father, flesh and bone. There were times she could see the light in him. Finding that small glimmer of hope that he could have been more than the tyrant he was. No matter how misguided he was, he loved his family. She knew that, deep down. It was a twisted love, the sort that had no business being exuded away, but she was his daughter. He was a man raised by monsters, became one himself, and had no concept that there was a better way to do things.

He was too egotistical to believe for a second that anything could truly be his fault.

Beyond that, though, she knew that he found vindication every time the White Fang attacked. That the White Fang had fueled his animosity towards the Faunus to a point that he’d never come back from. He’d lost people he cared about by their hands, and there was no excusing that away either. He had every right to be angry… if only it had stopped there, merely as anger and not backlash, maybe then things could have been different.

As it stood, he would never have a desire to aid a Faunus. He would see no need in relenting upon his own cruelty towards them. They’d suffer, continue to do so, because he suffered at their hand. He’d never forgive that. He was too proud, too powerful, and too hurt to care.

And, if she were being honest, she’d been hurt too.

By the White Fang, by him, and by a world that didn’t rightly how tarnished she became. She had weaponized that pain, and that was inexcusable.

“Get dressed, Ruby.” Weiss said softly, hardly surprised that the girl was still moping around in her pajamas. The sun wasn’t even in the sky yet. It was only barely peaking out upon the horizon. She had sat there on that dew laden morning trying to come to terms with Coco’s words. Looking for a falsehood within them, and finding none. She should have been moved to action sooner, but she had to be sure.

In truth, even if they could find Blake, she had no idea what she would say.

“I’m not going to breakfast.” Ruby said softly. “Go on head without me.”

“We’re not just going to breakfast.” Weiss said with a sigh. “We’re going to find Blake, but we are going to need help.“

“We’ve looked everywhere we can think of.” Yang told her. “It’s no use.”

“Hurry up, we’re wasting time. I have it on good authority she may be in Vale by now.” Weiss told them. “Although, I have no idea if she’ll even be there by the time we get there. We don’t have time to wait.”

“What changed your tune?” Yang asked snappishly.

“Absolutely nothing.” Weiss told her. “I’m still mad at her, and I’m going to keep being mad at her. She complains that I shut her out, but she ran away from me… from us, and that’s beyond hypocritical. She lied to me, when all I ever wanted was an ounce of honesty. I realize I have my biases, I fully and completely comprehend that, but she couldn’t even have an honest fight with me. This whole time, I thought she was a human. It was a bold faced lie, right to my face. I can’t pretend that it didn’t happen, and I won’t.”

“Weiss, you can’t keep fighting with her.” Ruby said, turning to her partner.

“If you keep sitting there, it’ll be a moot point.” Weiss sighed then. “I can’t fight with a teammate who isn’t here. So let me ask you this, would you rather we never fight at all because she’s gone for good? Or would you rather keep trying to lead this team knowing how dysfunctional it is? You’re not going to change us. She’s apparently a Faunus, and I’m a Schnee. That can’t just magically disappear. Blake tried to hide it, and now look where it’s gotten us. I told you before that this is a fight worth having, and I mean that. How you choose to handle that fighting… Well, I suppose that’ll be up to you.”

\--

(Sunday, Streets of Vale: 8:00 am)

They couldn’t loiter around forever. They’d already outstayed their welcome. They left the vising dorms with no real plan, but Blake had come to the realization that Sun didn’t seem to think things through. He was too carefree to worryabout the gravity of the situation. He had been too kind to her, and she didn’t have the heart to shove him away, even when that kindness seemed to be too much. He had no reason to care, yet he did.

It felt good to be with her own kind for a change. He wasn’t just a Faunus, he was a man that had been so grossly misunderstood that no one could see past his traits. At least, that was how it felt. Sun was no less earnest than the people she called teammates, if she could even call them that anymore was anyone’s guess.

Vale was quiet and peaceful. The only people wandering the streets were locals and early bird tourists looking for a bite to eat. Mostly families out to breakfast, shop owners tending storefronts, or nocturnal Faunus prone to night shifts that hadn’t yet gone home. It was the image of what Vale should be. People going about their day peacefully. Too tired to make snide remarks and too busy with their own matters to harass each other. The true mass of bigots wouldn’t start flooding the streets for another hour or two. When they’d be forced to greet the day no matter how they felt about supposed rabble caking the streets.

She followed Sun and they eventually made it to a nearby coffee shop. It was a local hotspot. Long lines were a normalcy, even though at this hour the tables would remain mostly empty. Most were here simply to grab a fix of caffeine for their morning commute to work. Blake guiltily followed Sun to the rooftop sitting area, and for a long time she said nothing. She’d managed a few simple phrases here and there. Yes or no answers to mundane questions, an occasional murmur of gratitude when she could muster it.

That was it, but she had come to realize that Sun was trustworthy… at least on some level. He’d been unfathomably nice to her, and he’d earned enough to know her name at the very least. So, when he asked again, she gave him her first name.

“It’s… Blake…” She said quietly.

“Finally she speaks…” Sun said, and despite his excitement about that, Blake could tell he was more relieved than anything. “It’s been nearly two days and you’ve given me nothing but small talk and weird looks… yeah, like that one…”

Most of their communication had been the non-verbal sort, at least on her end. Broad concepts were best conveyed through body language, even for humans. Faunus merely took it one step further, perception alone aiding that little extra layer depth. They hadn’t needed words, but it was nice to be able to use them. Too nice, perhaps, because Blake had questions. Things she had wanted to ask, but she simply hadn’t been brave enough.

Her entire argument with Weiss stemmed from this man. His actions acting like a catalyst. Blake had defended him. Now, she needed to know he was worth that defense. She suspected it, but she’d been proven wrong so many times in her life she just couldn’t be sure. With no team at her side, she was alone again. She needed to be able to trust him enough to ask the one thing that really mattered. If he supported the White Fang, even remotely, she’d never be able to put any faith in him beyond this point.

It was a leap of faith, but one far easier to make among a fellow Faunus than it ever would be among humans. If he didn’t like them, it would never be racially motivated. It would come down to moral values, a difference in ideology.

“Sun, are you familiar with the White Fang?” She asked.

Sun leaned forward, placid but clearly a tad shocked by that question. “Well, of course. I don’t think there’s a Faunus on the planet who hasn’t heard of them. Stupid, holier than thou creeps. They’ll use force to get whatever they want. A bunch of freaks if you ask me.”

That made her take a short pause. She expected that he wouldn’t stand among them. That much seemed obvious to her. Faunus who didn’t agree with them tended to toe the line, careful of what they said about them and how it came across. Any Faunus could be a member after all, and that could mean trouble. Sun was blunt about his dislike of them, saw no reason to hide it. It made her place down her cup of team and regard him with that same blunt truth.

“I was once a member of the White Fang.”

Sun choked on his own hot drink. He never would have guessed that. Even firmly believed otherwise, and had told the members of team ABRN as much. ”Wait! You were a member of the White Fang?!”

Blake nodded ever so slightly, eyes closed as she sighed a soft breath. Well, she couldn’t blame him for being bothered by that information. He was exactly the type of guy she thought he was. Exactly the sort that his scent promised him to be. Earnest, boisterous, but by no means a hardened criminal. He was likely more akin to Yang than anything. Rough and tumble, always seeking entertainment.

She hadn’t given him any reason to suspect her, just as he hadn’t given her any reason to suspect him. The only difference was, she had been a coward.

“That’s right. I was a member for most of my life, actually. You could almost say I was born into it.” It was the one thing she had always wanted to tell Yang, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t say it to any human because the implications ran deep. If they’d thought the worst of her, they’d probably be right to do it. There was some real truth to what Weiss said after all, and although Blake had taken personal offence, there were members of the White Fang that were that horrible. That fact would tarnish any Faunus that tried to make a better life.

Sun would know better, because he too, was a Faunus.

He was surprised, sure. He wasn’t angry. He had nothing to lose from knowing the truth, and very little to gain either. It wasn’t that it was easy to say. Far from it. It was merely that telling him did no harm. As a main with a trait as obvious as his own, he didn’t have the luxury of hiding himself. Couldn’t, and even he did, he seemed to like who he was. Didn’t seem to want to hide it. A Faunus like that respected the magnitude of it all. Understood so many things that Blake simply didn’t need to explain.

So, explaining her position in the White Fang, ultimately remained that. A simple explanation, with no strings attached to it. Nothing deeper than the words themselves. It was one thing she’d never gotten to have. Never in a team full of humans, and never in an organization full of misguided souls.

So, explain she did. About the White Fang as she fondly recalled it. When peace was the mission, and unity was the goal. Days when as a child, she had something to fight for, alongside people who strove for change. Days when, though it went unsaid, her father had been the high leader. Battles back in those days were a fight worth making. Blades turned against Grimm, and words given to the people. Protests were mostly peaceful, and generally not all that violent. Even back then the White Fang had their bad eggs, but her father didn’t tolerate viciousness.

Five years ago, her father had stepped down, and that’s when things truly began to change. When things began to get bloody, and the White Fang began their darker ambitions. That was the White Fang of today’s world. A White Fang she had left behind.

A simple yet heavy question fell from Sun’s lips after she was done. “So, have you told your friends any of this?”

Wordlessly, she shook her head. No, she hadn’t told them. She couldn’t tell him the reasons why. There were too many to name, each one of them profound and personal.


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry about the chapter mix-up. I wasn't thinking clearly, it's been a rough day and it seems even fan fiction doesn't want to be in my favor tonight. It has now been fixed. Enjoy. 
> 
> Woes Be Gone was unable to beta this chapter. I caught what errors I could I my own. I will also re-edit this chapter again at a later date.

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 2: Brass Tacks **   
** Chapter 48 **

(Sunday, Streets of Vale: 10:00 am)

Weiss had hoped Ruby decided better of the entire idea. Had thought to herself that perhaps Ruby would come to see reason. As it was, Ruby wanted to keep searching. It was just as Coco said, and Weiss feared. Ruby wasn’t ready to give up. She wasn’t going to throw in the towel. If it was stubbornness, ignorance, or just plain stupidity Weiss couldn’t be sure. They’d taken a meal, hashed out a plan. Team JNPR were splitting up to keep an eye out.

Ren and Nora by on the Beacon side of the airship station, ready to nab Blake the moment she stepped foot onto Beacon Academy grounds, if she happened to. Jaune and Pyrrha would be on the Vale side of things, keeping an eye on the outbound flights in the event that Blake was planning to leave the kingdom. Through no small amount of badgering, they’d convince Coco to keep an eye on the main gate that led out of the kingdom. Still it left too many things unaccounted for.

The three remaining members of team RWBY began wandering the streets of Vale. Ruby and Yang called out for her, searching high and low. Weiss was complicit, but obviously still against this entire idea.

“Weiss, you’re not helping.” Ruby said, turning towards her partner.

The heiress sighed, because shouting wasn’t doing any good, and she doubted it would ever be of help. If Blake wanted to hide from them, all they were doing was alerting the Faunus of their location. It was making it easier to run away from them, and thus harder to find her. Vale was too large, and they didn’t have a good chance of finding Blake on their own like this. “You know who might be able to help? The police…”

“Ugh, Weiss…” Ruby aid, scowling softly. Talking to the police about this was the last thing she would do.

“It was just an idea.” Weiss shot back, and in truth it wasn’t even something she said to be malicious. It was just a fact. Vale was large, too large to be searching on their own.

“Yeah…” Ruby bit out as she turned and continued walking. “A bad one…”

“Maybe we should hear her side of the story before we jump to any conclusions.” Yang said, hoping that Blake had a good reason for this. She had to hope, had to be chipper and upbeat. She had to try and keep everyone from losing it again. It was too real a possibility, and she knew that Weiss didn’t really want to be out here.

“I think when we hear it, you’ll all realize that I was right.” Weiss said, and she stood firm in that. She’d made errors too, there was no mistaking that. Still, she had been honest. Completely so, and even if she had done no small amount of harm, Blake had done damage too. Fleeing to Vale seemed like further proof.

Ruby was about to shut down that backwards comment, but before she could another voice joined the group.

“And I think Weiss’s hair looks wonderful today…”

“Ah! Penny…” Ruby said, she had nearly jumped out of her skin, but so had Yang and Weiss. “Where did you come from?”

Instead of answering that, Penny just smiled and greeted them. “Hey guys, what are you up to?”

“We’re looking for our friend, Blake.” Yang said in way of explanation.

“Ohhh, you mean the Faunus girl…”

It was incredibly perceptive, but Ruby couldn’t help but be confused. “Wait… how did you know that?”

“The cat ears…” Penny said, as if it had been simple and common knowledge.

“What cat ears?” Yang bulked. “She wears a…bow…”

“She does like tuna a lot.” Ruby murmured as another strange piece of that puzzle began to knit together. It solved nothing of their current predicament. If anything, it complicated matters. How many other seemingly pointless details had they missed? Ruby couldn’t be sure, and even whispering something as simple as a cat Faunus liking tuna seemed wrong somehow.

Would Blake have been offended by the comparison? Ruby didn’t think she would. It was only an observation, but then again, it sounded so wrong after it had come out of her mouth. It was then she thought she understood the fight from the other day so much better.

“So… where is she?” Penny wondered, purely curious.

Ruby was at a loss, shrugging in the face of the question she was wondering about herself. If only she knew, but she didn’t have any idea where Blake might be. Ruby could only frown sadly. “We don’t know. She’s been missing since Friday…”

It was so simple a statement, but the reaction it pulled from Penny was enough to inspire the girl to help them. She swore she would, and wouldn’t rest until Blake was found. Ruby tried to decline the offer, truly, but when Yang and Weiss were already splitting off there wasn’t much of a choice. Ruby wanted to take that as a good sign. That maybe Weiss really was motivated to do something about this. She could only hope that the authorities wouldn’t end up getting involved.

It was bad enough that other teams, their friends of all people, were involved. Now, penny too. More people were getting dragged into this, either by choice or by proximity. As it was, Ruby still had no idea where Blake might be.

“So, where do we start?” Penny asked.

“I really don’t have a clue.” Ruby told her. “We’ve been retracing our steps, but that hasn’t been working.”

“Well, deductive reasoning would insist there has to be something you’re missing. Then again, you can’t exactly account for random variables that could impact your search. Unless we can do that, we’re just going to be wandering aimlessly.” Penny said, a hand to her chin as she looked around. Her mind computing the information she knew of at a high speed. Her soul was slow to catch up to it, a juxtaposition she never quite got used to. “Maybe there’s a clue someplace that you missed.”

“I wish.” Ruby said then, knowing that this wasn’t exactly like a crime novel. “I just don’t think there is.”

“There always is.” Penny told her. “It’s part of my training. A good investigator looks for the clues, and sometimes they aren’t obvious. Sometimes it can be in the little things. For example, the way a person acts, or the habits they do over and over again. You said she really likes fish, right? Something about tuna, if I heard you correctly.”

Ruby nodded. “Yeah, that’s a given. She loves that.”

“Well some people eat when they’re sad. Do you know her favorite places to get something to eat?”

“No…”

Penny wasn’t to be deterred. ”Well, let’s just keep doing what you’ve been doing. While we look, you can tell me everything that happened. Maybe I’ll find a clue you haven’t found.”

Ruby wasn’t exactly keen on that idea. She had to admit it was better than nothing…

* * *

(Sunday, Streets of Vale: 12:00 PM)

A warm breakfast made Blake feel a lot better, but her head was full of things she would rather not think about. Her team most of all. She wondered what they were even doing, if they were relieved that she was no longer at Beacon Academy. She doubted they even cared. Or, even if they did, they’d easily get over it. Soon, she’d just be a no name Faunus that they’d met in passing.

“But, if they were worried about you, what do you think they’d do about it?” Sun asked.

“Ruby is probably sulking and Yang is likely working out at the gym. I don’ know what Weiss would be doing right about now, but I know I’m the last person she wants to see.” Blake said it, but she doubted any of that was actually going on. She didn’t dare think for an instant that her departure had caused them any deep level of grief. It just wasn’t possible. It wasn’t as if she’d gotten particularly close enough to share a deep or meaningful bond. Now, she was even more thankful she hadn’t allowed Yang get too close to her. “They’ll be fine without me, I’m sure...”

“Yeah?” Sun murmured. “Well, what are you going to do now?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet.”

“Don’t you think you should?”

“I didn’t have a fallback plan. Beacon Academy was my last chance, and I blew it.” Blake told him, finding herself strangely calm. She was used to failing, and this was just another way she’d manage to screw up. “Maybe I don’t have it in me to be a huntress anyway.”

“Somehow, I doubt that…”

“I’m not a good person. I was just trying to pretend that I was, and I enrolled into Beacon knowing exactly what I was doing.” Blake told him, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “When I really think about it, I know I was fooling myself into thinking I’d actually get my license. I just wanted to make a difference in this world, for once in my life…”

“Then quitting now isn’t an option.” Sun told her thoughtfully. “If you really feel like you have that much to make up for, you can’t quit. That’s just not the way we do things, it’s not how anybody should be doing things.”

“I know, but I’ve already made my bed. I might as well just lay in it.”

“Never realized you were such a self-hating Faunus.” Sun said quietly. “Never thought for a second someone with your history could be one, really.”

“I don’t hate my own heritage.” Blake said to him sharply. No, she had her pride as a Faunus, but that was personal. What she hated was everything she couldn’t control because of it. The White Fang had once been a symbol of that pride, one that extended down to her very blood. How could she face her father now? How could she possibly look him in the eye and tell him everything she’d witnessed. How could she ever admit the things she had done? “I don’t mind being a Faunus, and I have no reason to hate myself just because of that…”

“Why then?” Sun asked. “You’ve got a chip on your shoulder Blake, plain as day. I just don’t get why.”

“I hate fighting for the things I shouldn’t need to fight for in the first place. I’m not asking the world to be handed to me on a silver platter. All I want is a fair shake, and some humans make that harder than it should be. I don’t even hate them for it, I just can’t stand that things need to get so violent before people start listening. I hate the violence, and I hate that nothing I do seems to fix any of it. I just make everything worse, and that’s what I hate the most.”

“Wars have been started over less.” Sun shrugged. “Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop giving a damn about the injustices of this world for a second and do what you want to do. Do you really want to be a huntress?”

“It seems like a noble ambition.” Blake told him. “Is it so wrong to want something like that?”

“If you decide to throw it away, yeah.” Sun told her. “You’re in Beacon Academy now. That’s as fair as life ever really gets for people in the trade. You’re not going to find a better offer, Blake. If you can’t prove yourself here, you’re not going to make it out there where it counts. It wasn’t like you were expelled, you just had a fight with a few teammates. If you throw it away now, you don’t deserve it. Throwing all of your hard work away now means didn’t want to be a huntress bad enough to stick it out. A real huntress wouldn’t back down this easy, not over something like this…”

“My team won’t just take me back…”

“You sure about that? An apology goes a long way. They’re humans, so I doubt they believe in the same reparations that Faunus do.”

“They might not, but I’d still have to bring one…”

“So, then you bring one. Only question is, what do we get for them? Flowers? A card? What do they even like?”

“It can’t be just a token apology, Sun.” Blake told him. “I messed up, badly. I need something substantial.”

Blake knew she couldn’t go back to her team empty handed. She couldn’t just show up without something to show for it. She’d ran off, and now she needed to make a reparation for that. It was Faunus bylaw, her traditional upbringing. When she did something wrong, an apology wasn’t the only thing in order. A symbol of learning from it was too. Something worthwhile to show a meaningful change had occurred.

She knew the team wouldn’t understand it, but she couldn’t make peace with herself without it.

Sun understood, and he’d offered to help her. The only question was, what could she do?

“So, what’s the plan?” Sun asked as they wandered the streets.

She didn’t have one.

Deep down, she wanted to prove that the White Fang weren’t involved in the dust robberies taking place in Vale. Stealing from the SDC, that was one thing. A grudge match that played out all the time. It wasn’t a matter of hording the dust for themselves. It was just a way to give a bigoted company its comeuppance. Just another way to show humanity they weren’t to be trifled with. The White Fang took some of the dust, and sold the rest.

At least, that’s what used to happen.

Robbing small dust shops were different stories, that one in particular. It was Faunus friendly. They had no reason to harm it. The old man was an easy target, but no Faunus in their right mind would harass a small owner. It was hard enough to walk into stores without being mistreated. Harming a dust shop willing to harbor Faunus consumers hurt the whole community. It made arming themselves in the future that much more difficult.

No, it couldn’t be the White Fang.

Sienna didn’t make a point to harm pleasant folks. She never really liked humans, not really, but Faunus friendly humans weren’t on her agenda. There was no way she’d allow something like this to happen willingly. It had to be someone else. Blake was sure of it. She wanted to show her team who the culprit was. She didn’t just need to do it for them. She needed to do it for herself too.

“I still don’t believe the White Fang was behind these robberies. They’ve never needed that much dust before…” Blake said, in part because saying it out loud would solidify that in her mind. The White Fang had to be innocent in this. She couldn’t dream of what would happen if they weren’t. The second very distant reason was because she wanted Sun’s opinion. He didn’t support them, but he had no real reason to conspire against them either. It would only make trouble for him if he tried.

The nonchalant expression on his face dropped after a moment. He’d been listening, but he couldn’t help feeling that something was missing. “But, what if they did?” He asked softly as a thought came to him. “I mean, the only way to prove that they didn’t do it… is to go to the place they’d go if they were to do it… and not find them there, right?”

He had a point, there was just one problem. “The only thing is, I have no idea where that would be.”

“Well, when I was on the boat I heard them talking about a huge shipment of dust coming in from Atlas.”

“How huge?”

“Huuugge.” Sun told her. “Big Schnee company freighter.”

“You’re sure?”

Sun nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “There was a lot of gossip that I’d call total bullshit on… but not about that. Even the captain was talking about it a few times. It has to be true.”

Blake knew what she needed to do. She would need to head to the docks and wait. Sun didn’t need to go with her, and she had absolutely no intention of dragging him there. “Sun from here on out, I’m going to be tampering with something really dangerous. You don’t have to come with me, and your team will be arriving sometime today. You should be with them.”

“Ooohhh, no way in hell…” Sun said looking at Blake she’d grown a second head. “You, up against a bunch of thugs like them? Nothing doing. Not going let you throw down a fight like that alone.”

“I used to be ‘a thug like them’ Sun. I can take care of this by myself.”

The Faunus curled his tail in such a way to convey his annoyance, though he didn’t say a word about it. She could see it in his eyes. The way he squared his shoulders. He was trying to be an asset, and she refused him. It didn’t sit well with the huntsman-in-training. The muscles in his core flexing in such a way that wouldn’t be argued with. He was a man of his people, and obviously he didn’t want her to think that he was weak.

“You really don’t get it, do you?” Sun asked. “You’re not just going to go see for yourself, you’re going try and stop it if it happens. I know your type, but you won’t be getting rid of me that easily. I’ve got my own pride too ya know. If my team found out I’d left you to take down something like this all by yourself with no one to back you up, they’d freak out. Cool dudes don’t let chicks fight a crazy criminal organizations alone. It kinda goes against the whole guy code, Blake.”

“I don’t need you to protect me, Sun.”

“It’s not about that.” Sun told her. “It wasn’t like I started hanging around you because I’ve got my head up my butt. You’re no damsel in distress. I get that, but it’s never been about that.” He sighed then, shaking his head.

Then what is it about?”

“Doing the right thing.”

“This from a man that harassed police officers.”

“Alright… fair, got me on that one…” Sun shrugged. “Look, I’m not going to pretend to be someone I’m not. I have my fun, I get my kicks, but it’s not like I seriously hurt anybody. Toying with cops and pissing off the White Fang are two completely different things. I can’t let you do that alone. I’m just not that kind of asshole. If you want to rumble with the White Fang, I’m not going to stop you. I’m just not going to let you do it alone.”

* * *

(Sunday, Streets of Vale, 2:00 PM)

Blake liked to read, that was a fact. Yang thought it would be a good idea to ask around inside of each one. It hadn’t done her any good, but it wasn’t as if she knew of Blake’s other hobbies. Yang only had a small handful of ideas to go on, but nothing had panned out. With another bookstore down and no leads to go on, Yang closed the door behind her.

“This is hopeless.” Yang said, disheartened by the fact that every store she went into had no idea who Blake was, or simply hadn’t seen her. There were still a few more to check, but that number was dwindling quickly.

Weiss was being absolutely no help, either. Only shrugging mildly in Yang’s direction.

“You don’t care if we find her…” Yang concluded. “Do you?”

“Don’t be stupid.” Weiss said with an edgy bite in her tone. “I’m just afraid of what she’ll say when we find her.”

Weiss didn’t show it, couldn’t, but she was terrified of the truth as she knew it now. Blake was a Faunus, and that alone would have been a small problem. She had never trusted the Faunus, had her reasons not to. It wasn’t as if they trusted her, and they certainly thought very little of the Schnee family. She wasn’t at the helm of the company, but that didn’t matter to them. What made it worse was that Blake had apparently been a member of the White Fang on top of it. Was she still pat of them? Had she left?

Weiss wanted to believe Blake had become better than that, but she had no real proof. Now, she had no way to even validate what she thought was true, because Blake had left completely.

“The innocent never run, Yang.” Weiss told the tall blonde.

Yang sighed, looking down at the ground as she began walking. “Weiss that’s… that’s just not true. Innocent people run away a lot. If they have no way to prove that they’re innocent, why stay? If you know you won’t be trusted, and that nothing you say could even change anything, what’s the point?”

It was a good set of questions, but Weiss had no answer for them. “Blake may not be entirely guilty, but if she’s one of them… or even if she was one of them at some point, she has a past.”

“Yeah, and I’ve got arson on my record.” Yang shot back. “Remember when Ruby blabbed about the stupid stiff I did before Beacon? I fucked up bars, and really bad. No one pressed charges, but it’s on the record because that’s what happens when you send a bar owner flying through a window.”

Weiss turned on her, shocked. “You must be joking!”

“Ask Ruby.” Yang shrugged. “She saw the dude I laid out, and he wasn’t the only one I picked a fight with. In the end though, I’m training to be a huntress, and the cops turned the other cheek.”

“In Atlas, arson is a felony that’s punishable by law.”

“In Vale it is too, but only if charges are actually pressed against you.” Yang sighed, grumbling to herself. “Weiss, the cops can’t arrest every person that acts like an idiot. Huntsman are total asses sometimes, and that’s just the way we are. If they did press charges for every little thing, they’d have to be the ones that go out there and deal with Grimm. Instead, the way they see it another way. So long as no person was really hurt, no harm, no foul. Besides, every huntsman bends the law a little. Even right now you’re not on an official mission, and you’re still carrying your weapon openly in a busy street as an unlicensed huntress. Technically that’s illegal too.”

“I represent Beacon Academy, and I’ve got my Beacon Academy identification on me. It’s different Yang.”

“It’s not, because we don’t have the required paperwork.” Yang told her. “By Vale’s huntsman’s law, unlicensed academy students need to have written permission from their commanding officer to carry their weapon with them into civilian territories that are not currently under duress. That means that unless Grimm are beating the absolute crap out of Vale, we’re not supposed to be here armed.” Yang told her, looking down at her weaponry placidly resting on her wrists.

“Ozpin stated that our license were taken as his written permission.”

“He did, and that’s how Signal does it too.”

“Then I don’t see the issue.”

“It just isn’t the law as it’s written by Vale’s council. The intent may be the same, but it’s still illegal. By complete technicality, sure, but it is.” Yang pointed out. “But you know why no one seems to care? Because it’s a stupid law, and stupid laws are made to be broken and changed for the greater good. It was written by people who have no concept of the real dangers out there, and the cops know it. That’s why they don’t enforce it. You have a Beacon Academy card, and for them that’s good enough. If Grimm come rampaging through, Vale’s safer for it, because you have your weapon. You don’t have to wait for a locker that might crush someone or something just to get yourself armed.”

“Now you’re just splitting hairs, Yang. What Blake did wasn’t the same, and you know it!”

“My point is that innocence is a messy thing Weiss. Technically, you should have a misdemeanor for this. You’re no less guilty of a crime than Blake probably is. I’m not either. It’s just that for us, no one cares. They see the greater good. To them, that’s what matters.” Yang told her. “If you always see things in the worst possible way, you’ll never see the good that comes from it too. The White Fang does some really messed up things, but do you really think Blake would really go that far? I know the White Fang intentionally hurt and killed people you cared about, but do you really think Blake did any of that?”

“I don’t know.” Weiss told her. “That’s what scares me. She’s not like other the Faunus at Beacon…”

“No, she’s not…” Yang murmured. “She’s our teammate. That alone makes everything different. After all the things you said right to her face, she didn’t attack you. You had a fight, but it was only words. She never tried to hurt or kill you. Isn’t that’s proof enough that she’s not guilty of really bad things? That maybe you’re trying to hold her to something she didn’t do?”

“We don’t know what she did, she ran off!”

“That’s the point!” Yang yelled before crumbling. “An innocent person would run from that too, Weiss. That’s all I’m trying to say.”

* * *

(Sunday, Streets of Vale, 4:00 PM)

With Penny at her side, they began to look. As time went on Penny asked a series of questions, Ruby answered them. She told the girl everything. Penny didn’t seem to take any new insight from any of it, but that didn’t keep her from trying to be supportive. Ruby appreciated the effort, she really did. If only she could remain so upbeat.

“Well, all I know is that we can’t give up now. It’s not good to run away during an argument, it leaves too many things unsaid.” Penny said slowly. There was no accusation in her tone. It was just an offhanded statement at best when they passed by a small park. “It seems like you really need to work on your communication skills as a group.”

Ruby nodded, she agreed about that. “Yeah, I know. Weiss is pretty scary when she’s mad. When I think about that, I can’t really blame Blake for panicking. I just wish that Blake would have come back on her own.”

“Maybe she doesn’t know how to make things better again…”

“Maybe… I really should have stopped them sooner.”

“I don’t think that was possible, Ruby.” Penny replied then, earnestly looking at her newfound friend and doing her best to comfort her.

“I still should have tried harder.” Ruby said. “It was a bad fight.” It wasn’t as if she could hide it, Penny had saw some of the fighting first hand anyway. “It only got worse back at the dorm, but by then there was nothing I could do.”

“Did you do your best?”

“It wasn’t good enough.”

“I don’t think that’s true.” Penny said slowly. “No, actually I’m sure of it. I see people argue a lot. They do it all the time. I’ve noticed that when people do the best they can, things usually work out. You have to believe that it’ll be the same way with Blake too.”

“For that to work, Weiss would need to be willing to work together too.” Ruby told her. “I feel like she’s just waiting to chew Blake out again…”

Penny couldn’t help but to nip at her lip. She knew enough about Winter to suspect that more was going on. The Schnee family were private people. Winter wasn’t easy to agitate, but there were some things that absolutely infuriated her. Penny was still learning what those things were exactly, but she had a basic idea. For winter, feeling betrayed topped the list. “As I understand it, a lot of this was just miscommunication. They both took things the wrong way. I’m not saying that Weiss shouldn’t have been nicer about it, or that Blake shouldn’t have told you that she was a Faunus from the start, but…”

“But?” Ruby prompted, wanting her friend to continue.

Penny shrugged then, offering a small smile. “If there was no point to look, we wouldn’t be looking. That’s something, right?”

“It is, but what if that’s not good enough?”

“You can’t think that way.” Penny said. “You have to keep your chin up, Ruby. Every good leader I know always looks ahead confidently. If you can learn to do that, you’ll be one step closer to being the sort of team leader that you want to be. Blake will see that, and Weiss too.” Penny was sure of it, because the people she respected the most never cowered. They were brave, even in fear. 

“I hope you’re right, Penny.” Ruby said sadly. “I really do.”

* * *

(Sunday, Streets of Vale, 8:00 PM)

Her mind told her that nothing was going to happen. Wayward thoughts warning her that she was looking in all of the wrong places. That this was a false lead in the making. It was too good to be true, and too perfect. Her gut told her otherwise, that something was seriously wrong.

Night had fallen over the streets of Vale. Blake took her position laying low on a nearby roof. She had been there since late in the afternoon. The shipment of dust had come in, and after several hours it had all been unloaded safely. Now it was eerily quiet. The large shipping containers of dust went on undisturbed. The dust wasn’t guarded, something she only found mildly confusing given the string of dust related robberies. She was sure that the Schnee Dust Company would have learned to protect its precious supplies, but there was no one in sight.

An amber eyed gaze over to a nearby security camera told her that this entire port had seen better days. There was no top of the line technology to speak of. No drones or robots to monitor the area, certainly no guard on standby. The poorly lit area was perfect for night vision, but any human would struggle without a flashlight. It made little sense, and Blake couldn’t fathom why no care was taken to ensure the safe distribution of dust across remnant.

Jacques Schnee would be to blame for this. He should have some sort of protocol in place for protecting something so volatile. Then again, she knew why he hadn’t. If the dust were to be stolen he could point fingers at the culprits instead. His company would suffer losses, but he would gain so much more spotlight from the press and his elite peers because of it. The man had his ways of contorting the media.

On the one hand, she was happy everything seemed peaceful. That no one had come to try and take it. On the other, with no culprit, she had no criminal. Without that, she had no way to prove that the White Fang weren’t to be blamed for it.

“Hey, did I miss anything?” Sun asked, an arm full of fruit in hand.

“Not really…” Blake told him. “They unloaded all of the shipping containers, and now they’re just sitting there.”

“Cool…” He said, because that was a good sign. “I stole you some food.”

Blake looked down at the offered apple and the grin on his face. It was probably harmless, or so she hoped. There were some small shops they would leave left over fruits and vegetables out in the open on purpose after they closed. It was meant to be taken. An open invitation to do so normally sitting on a card inside one of the barrels. It was the same with the elderly dust shop owner and his habit of giving away small samples of fire dust to put in fireplaces. Tukson left out old children’s books that he had an extra stock of every night. It was their unspoken gesture to quell poverty in their own small way.

Still, those shops weren’t overly common. They were popular among people who frequented them, but she doubted there was a store like that smack dab in the middle of the shipyard.

“Do you always break the law without a second thought?” Blake asked him disapprovingly.

“Hey didn’t you used to be in a cult or something?” Sun said skeptically, earning an intensified glare for his remark. “Okay, too soon…”

It was then, in the otherwise uneventful night that the air picked up around them. An airship flying too low to be a passenger flight passing them by and hovering over a section of the shipyard. Search lights confirmed its location before it set down. Blake healed a breath as the doors to the airship opened.

“Oh no…”

“Is that them?”

“Yes…” Blake couldn’t believe it, she didn’t want to but it was plain as day. Those white vests, ominous masks, and blood red symbol said it all. It had to be members of the White Fang. As the members dispersed and more of them exited the ship to dole out orders, there was no question about it. “It’s them...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, sorry for today's mix-up. I am so, so sorry...


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter mix-up has now been handled. This had been posted in the chapter 48 slot by accident, but really it is 49. I am so sorry for any havoc this caused. It's been one hell of a day, lol. Saving grace, there was a 2 chapter update in one day... sooo yay?

**Searching For Sunlight**   
**Arc 2: Brass Tacks**   
**Chapter XLIX**

It was the usual set-up. White Fang operatives of all ranks had mingled for this operation. The grunts were easy to spot, low ranking and probably new members being tested on their first big heist. Blake could pick them out of the crowd easily enough. The ones wet behind the ears were quicker to look around, taking in the dark surroundings. Someone might mistake them for simply being alert, but their formation wasn’t clean. These were probably eager and foolhardy Faunus. Plucked from the bowels of the kingdoms.

Blake had seen their type before, had barked orders to those types of recruits more times than she could count. They wanted to prove themselves, and most of them didn’t have a healthy fear of restraint. If she hadn’t been rough on them, they’d have gotten cocky and killed by the dangers of this world. Most of them were young men, and that made sense too. Women who didn’t have the brute force to take these kinds of jobs were often left to reconnaissance and infiltration. Higher ranking women might have called the shots, but they’d never do the grunt work themselves. No, they’d only be there to kill whatever threatened their team.

It was Adam’s way. He swore by it, this level of mental conditioning. 

These young men had something to prove. The ones that had a real hard a chip on their shoulder. These were the sort of recruits that would be sent on for this type of mission. It kept them on a tight leash until they proved trustworthy. These guys had a lot to learn. They hadn’t been blooded against a Grimm yet, she could tell. If they hadn’t taken down a Grimm, there was no way they’d have taken down a human.

No, that would come later. Only those most loyal would be given an opportunity like that. Not even she had been loyal enough for that. He tested her on that train, and she failed him, and her brothers and sisters of the White Fang. Now, she was glad she did, which made her past even harder to swallow.

How many disenfranchised Faunus had she knocked around, beating the absolute stupidity out of them? She lost count over the handful of years that she served in the White Fang's militant leadership. Showing them how to put up a good fight and teaching them how to last in the wilderness she thought of as home. Taking them on missions that weren’t meant to be directly violent was the first step in long road.

At least, that’s what Adam had said at the time.

They dispersed in a way Adam would have hated. It was sloppy, and whoever had charge of them now hadn’t spent the time needed to make them into anything more than puppets. The higher ups called them back onto line, sending out the orders to begin collecting the dust. They were the real threat. Probably old comrades she might be able to recall if only they’d taken their masks off. They knew better than to stray too far from the airship. If they needed a quick getaway, the airship was their only hope. Seconds mattered, and they weren’t playing around. Those members, they’d seen combat against Grimm for sure. She could read it.

That confidant posture, no fear, just resolute analysis. She had almost turned into one of those higher-ups herself. She had always pulled rank due to her proximity to Adam, but to know she could have once had a human's blood on her hands sickened her.

“You really didn’t think they were behind it, did you?” Sun drawled out, more saddened than anything as he witnessed a disheartened expression on the girl beside him.

Blake wet her lips, feeling more than a little overwhelmed. She had wanted to rationalize it all away. Every clue, every sign pointing to the Faunus of the White Fang. She had tried to fit their actions into a carefully contained box where logic ruled over outright cruelty. The White Fang was a far cry from its former glory. To think they had fallen so far. It hurt more than she could find the words for. Part of her was afraid to try, wondering just how wrong she might be.

It was hard to argue that the White Fang did anything useful for the cause anymore, but Blake had always believed that the new high leader had a good head on her shoulders. Were there any good members left? Were there any collective Faunus left in the organization trying to bring peace? Was that really all forgotten now?

“No, I think deep down I knew.” Blake said sadly. “I just didn’t want to be right…”

A new voice met the air, shouting over the working members. “Hey what’s the hold up! We’re not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don’t you animals try to pick up the pace.”

Blake scowled, peering through the darkness. Her eyes had to be deceiving her, but a sickening feeling in her gut told her otherwise. She knew that face, saw it on the news. Roman Torchwick, he wasn’t just a small time thug. He was a wanted criminal. “This isn’t right…”

No, it was all wrong. It just didn’t make any sense. Sun looked at her questioningly, but she knew he wouldn’t understand. Faunus didn’t join the White Fang to make a difference, not anymore. Now they joined to harm humanity. These Faunus were out for blood. It was a deeply seeded ethos that the White Fang carried, burying itself deeper by the day into every contingent across the kingdoms. Some of that was Sienna’s influence, but most of it came from the senior members that had always felt that way to begin with.

“The White Fang would never work with a human.” Blake said, standing up and reaching for her weapon. “Especially not one like that.”

“Hey what are you doing?!” Sun asked, trying to stop her, but Blake jumped off the roof.

She was angry. Five years of malicious ideology. Had it really been that long?

Without Ghira Belladonna to demand members offer respect to all peoples, they could speak freely about their contempt for humans. They could speak it, and pass it on, breeding even more hate. They did, without a hint of remorse or a fragment of self-awareness. They just passed on the hate to a new generation, Blake’s generation…

Those young Faunus bought every word of it, herself included. Drinking in all of the propaganda, and finding new ways to harbor that hatred. Where was the line anymore? How far was too far? She met her limit the day Adam asked her to turn into a cold blooded killer. This crossed a line even deeper than that. Killing, For the White Fang that was an arbitrary need for the greater goal. Working with a human? Blake had no idea what level of corruption the White Fang would need have to even resort to it.

“No, you idiot…” Roman ranted. “This isn’t a leash…”

That was the last straw, and an opportunity. She took it. She ran up behind him, weapon pressing to his throat. The blade of Gambol Shroud making a deadly promise she doubted she could actually keep. Even so, she recalled her training. She knew how to bark orders with the best of them, and how to bend lesser members into formation.

Now she needed to command that same level of supremacy, or risk actually killing a human if she couldn’t. It would be far too easy, and it terrified her how simple it was to make the threat.

“Nobody move!” Blake commanded as members of the White Fang drew their guns and blades. She knew their fighting style, it was all the same drills, all the time. The White Fang hoped for trained fighters, but they were few and far between. These weren’t huntsman, or even people from that sort of family line. They were just Faunus looking for a cause and finding it in the wrong place. They weren’t ready for a real fight, but they’d try.

Depending on how angry they really were, they might even succeed. 

“Woah!” Roman said, hardly intimidated. He knew to play nice, but it wasn’t the first time someone had tried to kill him. He could feel the hesitation in the blade resting at his neck, just under his chin. It wasn’t even cutting into his aura. She didn’t want to kill him, not yet. “Take it easy there, little lady.”

Blake scowled, pulling off her bow. “Brothers of the White Fang, why are you aiding this scum?” She could see their confusion, weapons lowering and sideways glances among them proving they had no idea what was going on anymore.

Roman chuckled a bit, it was almost too cute. If she was one of them, all the better. At least she had what it took, which was more than he could say for the rest of the Faunus surrounding him tonight. She had some level of real talent. She just needed someone to show her how to use it, and he’d be more than happy to do it. “Oh kid, didn’t you get the memo?”

“What do you mean?” She demanded, blade bracing tighter.

Roman grinned at her display. It was a ruse, but a damn good one. She wasn’t willing to kill, but it seemed that the White Fang didn’t know that. She had them edgy, obedient. Well, it wasn’t his concern. There was no point to lie, and if she wanted in on it, all the better. “The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together.”

“Tell me what it is, or I’ll put an end to your little operation…”

Now that was a real threat. The first one since she’d gotten the upper hand. Still, their back-up had finally arrived. More airships, and more operatives. “I wouldn’t exactly call it a little operation...”

Blake looked up and the new ships headed in for a landing. That was her first mistake.

* * *

Ruby was tired and hungry, she hadn’t stopped to rest. She didn’t want to, even though she knew she should. The emotional toll weighed heavily on her. She just wanted Blake to be alright. With the street lamps lighting her way she couldn’t see well in the dark corners. Calls to her friends had proven that Blake hadn’t left the gates or entered into the airship port. There was no sign of her anywhere, and the worry grew enormously as the time ticked on.

“Ruby, it is getting late. Perhaps you should go back to Beacon.” Penny said sadly.

“I’m not leaving until I find Blake.” Ruby said quietly, kicking a pebble farther down the street.

“What if you can’t find her?”

“I don’t want to think about that.”

“But… you are thinking about it, aren’t you?” Penny asked curiously.

“It’s hard not to.” Ruby admitted, because no matter how much she wished for things, some wishes just never came true.

Penny nodded slowly. She didn’t know Ruby very well, but the girl seemed rather attached to her Faunus friend and teammate. Every logical parameter installed into her hardware told her that it was the sound conclusion to come to. Beyond that, her soul felt something too. The mechanical body her soul was housed in wasn’t a perfect creation, it had flaws, bugs, and system errors that still needed to be tweaked. Sometimes it was hard to understand what part of her feelings were from her body’s programming and what part came from her soul itself.

There were very few times when she felt she truly understood human emotion anymore. Computer logic was simply that, cold and unfeeling. Everything she analyzed about this situation told her that notifying the proper authorities would be the right thing to do. Her soul begged to disagree, and nine times out of ten she listened to her soul. It made her want to keep searching too.

They passed by another block in silence before a concussive blast of dust exploded from the other direction. A plume of darkened smoke and a combination of volatile dust rising high into the sky.

Ruby’s sight landed on that ominous cloud and her heart began to sink. “Oh no…”

* * *

“What that hell? Weiss, check that out.” Yang said, pointing to the blast. “What do you think caused that?”

“A Schnee Dust Company freighter docked in the port several hours ago for a routine shipment. It appears that somebody dropped some of the dust.” Weiss said, mostly unconcerned. “It happens all the time, Yang. You shouldn’t worry about it.”

“I don’t know, that was a huge blast...”

“A common sight to anyone in the industry, I assure you.” Weiss said as smaller explosions began taking place. It was probably thousands of lien down the drain, but loses such as these were always accounted for. Schnee dust was fairly cheap to manufacture in high quantities due to their labor practices, but it was incredibly expensive in the market due to the end result in quality. That it was far more dangerous to ship and handle was an oversight her father didn’t care to comprehend.

“Dust really shouldn’t explode like that outside of a refinery.” Yang said, having never seen an explosion quite like it. Nothing, at least, that wasn’t caused directly by a huntsman in battle or reported over a news broadcast.

“When a crate of dust explodes, it has a tendency to cause smaller explosions in the radius.” Weiss told her, thinking very little of the event. “When you refine dust it becomes far more volatile than when it is kept in its crystalized form. Many companies commonly ship the dust with impurities from the ground to keep them stabilized during transfer. The kingdoms refine it themselves once it arrives. My family hasn’t done that in years. Our refineries are tied to the best military technology, ensuring the highest quality of dust can be produced. What you see is a result of mishandling.”

“Well… crap…” Yang sighed as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. “And here I thought we might finally have a lead.”

“That was my first thought, but that would be preposterous.” Weiss said, waving her hand at the absurdity of the notion. Even if Blake was a White Fang member, she couldn’t hope to steal any of that dust on her own. “Assuming Blake was trying to get back at me somehow, I doubt she’d do it in such a pointless way. Attacking a freighter would be a mild annoyance to me at best. Plus, she would risk dust poisoning of she wasn’t killed from the blasts. Without medical treatment that’s just flat out suicidal. Blake isn’t that stupid.”

“Get back at you…?” Yang asked slowly, her fingers curling in on themselves. “Weiss, there’s no way she would do something like that.”

“Wouldn’t she?” Weiss asked her.

“There’s only one way to find out about what’s really going on.” Yang said, heading in the direction of the docks. “Come on, let’s go.”

Blake covered her mouth with her hand, hiding from that man blasting away in her general direction. With dust plumes lingering in the air, she couldn't rush in. It was easy to hide from him. Her eyes burned. Watering from the caustic yellow dust and bombastic red dust that lingered in the air. A few soft coughs were regrettable as she slinked along the crates, hiding deeper from view.

Roman Torchwick didn’t seem to care about the air around him, but then, he’d probably had aura injections before the mission even took place. She wasn’t so lucky, and she knew she couldn’t risk inhaling all of the particles in the air. Too much of it would cake her lungs and make it impossible to breathe. As the air began to clear, her aura was already hard at work to repair the damage to her eyes and sensitive nose. She’d been sneezing dust for weeks if she wasn’t careful.

As Roman searched, she continued to hide.

“Here kitty, kitty, kitty…” Roman grumbled, taunting her.

Her plan was simple. Lead him out and away from the White Fang. Get him away from the majority of dust and try to incapacitate him. Her plan was going to work, she was sure of it. If only for one small problem. A banana went flying, and Blake knew her plan would be dashed to bits before it could even take hold as Sun went flying through the air only to land directly on the criminal himself in a display that made her smack her own forehead.

“You leave her alone.” Sun demanded as more White Fang troops jumped down from their positions, surrounding him.

“You are not brightest banana in the bunch, are you kid?” Roman asked him before the troops closed in.

“Self-sacrificing idiot…” Blake murmured to herself while adjusting Gambol Shroud in a hurried pace. Taking a quick stock of her own ammunition she looked up to see that Sun was already in combat. She couldn’t let him do it alone. He was holding his own, but numbers would win the day if the White Fang had their way about it. Peaking around the nearest dust crate she saw the fighting taking place and waited for the opportune time to strike.

As soon as Sun made an opening, Blake charged in. “He’s mine!” She shouted, leaping into the air and launching a full on assault against Roman Torchwick himself. Her ruthless training came back to her in that instant. Everything she learned brought to bear against the criminal. Take out the one calling the shots, everyone else tended to fall in line. Faunus obeyed supremacy, it was instinct at its core. She may not be able to get them to listen to reason, but she could bring them down on their knees through boldfaced intimidation.

A flurry of strikes bit into her aura, and she ate every single one that she couldn’t dodge, returning blows with the same ruthless precision. Bust his aura. Make him bleed. Take him down. They were simple thoughts that turned in the back of her mind, same as the drive to preserve her own life in the process. Still, he had years on her. Skill she didn’t have. She was outmatched, going down with two blows to the head that she couldn’t shake off.

She hit the ground hard as Sun engaged in defensive combat, not gaining enough ground to count, but not allowing Roman to get to her either.

Blake picked herself off the ground, aura flaring around her in a dark hue as the mental fog of injury lifted. Ready to fight once more, she cut in between the battle. A bodily slice ripping right into Roman’s aura. If he hadn’t been equipped with one, she would have gutted him in that instant. The fact that she could have killed a man lingering in the back of her mind even though he seemed unscathed. Down on the ground, he fired shots into the air. Right at a nearby dust crate hanging aloft and still attached to a nearby crane. His shots landed, clattering the shipping container to the ground in another thick explosion of dust.

Both sides retreated from the blast. Blake and Sun splitting off in different directions to get away from the blast. Roman also taking shelter in the mangled shipping equipment.

Above the blast on one of the storage houses, Ruby Rose looked down at the dust cloud below. “Oh, man it looks like a lot of people are hurt down there.”

“I am certified in emergency medical training. I will attempt to stabilize the victims. Meanwhile, please notify the proper authorities.” Penny said, jumping down swiftly to try and save the lives of the Faunus caught in the dust blasts.

Ruby didn’t want to do it, but she had no choice. She knew they’d need help, and without hesitation, she called the emergency line that connected her to the Beacon Academy staff.

“This is Ruby Rose, calling for immediate back-up at Vale’s docks.”

Glynda made a grab for her scroll immediately. Professors Port and Oobleck not far behind on the emergency transmission. “Ruby Rose, this is Professor Goodwitch speaking. Give me a report.”

“Blake’s fighting Roman Torchwick.” Ruby said, her weapon at the ready. “I’m joining the fight. People are hurt. Ruby Rose out.”

“Don’t engage in the fight!” Glynda shouted as she grabbed her weapon and made her way down the hall, but it was too late, the transmission was already cut off by an incredible amount of interference before the line went dead.

“Glynda, I’m tracking her scroll and sending you the coordinates.” Bartholomew said from his place in his office.

“Get a visual on the battle and lend back-up, Bart.” Ozpin demanded hotly. “Glynda, get out there in your capacity as a huntress. You have authorization to take a personal ship from the docks.”

“Already doing that, sir.” Oobleck nodded. “Four security drones have already been sent out.”

“Very well.” Ozpin said, nodding at the screen as Glynda made her way to Beacon’s docking station. “Peter, prepare fourth year teams for a clean-up mission. We cannot allow that residue to spread in the aftermath. Be ready to deploy and oversee the students at my word. In the meantime, I have a few calls to make.”

“Oh shit…” Yang murmured, coming to a halt as her scroll lit up in her hands in the streets of downtown Vale. “Don’t tell me this thing’s broken now…”

“Yours isn’t, Ruby’s is…” Weiss bit out, holding her own scroll aloft for the blonde to see. “It’s a critical failure.”

“How much you wanna bet she’s at the docks?” Yang said pocketing her device and running at full speed down the streets of Vale.

“With those prior explosions?” Weiss shot back sarcastically, hot on Yang’s heels. “Dust and Ruby just don’t mix, now do they?”

With another explosion hitting the skyline Yang cursed. “Less talking, more hauling ass…”

“Hey!” Ruby shouted as the dust cloud cleared and she finally caught sight of Roman shaking himself off. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Oh, hey Red…” Roman said with a smirk. “Isn't it passed your bedtime?”

“You shouldn’t talk to a huntress in training like that, you know.” Ruby said, jumping down to land swiftly on the ground. Her weapon at the ready. “People are getting hurt because of you.”

Roman scowled, lifting his weapon before smirking. Just behind the girl, an injured White Fang member was holding his weapon shakily about to land a shot. Then a black blur came out of nowhere, Blake Belladonna charging out of the shadows to land a stab wound to the man’s arm as he yelled in pain before passing out. His aura unable to eat it as she pulled the blade free.

“Blow one more crate of dust to hell, and I will lob your head off.” Blake snarled at him, ears flat atop her head. “You just stay put…”

“Huh, yeah, not likely.” Roman chuckled, firing a few shots at the girls as they retreated behind one of the cranes.

“Are you okay?” Ruby asked, but her eyes were trained on their opponent.

“Never mind that." Blake snapped agitatedly as she scrubbed at her face. It burned, her aura was getting too low to handle this. "Where are Weiss and Yang?”

“I don’t know. I can’t call them right now.” Ruby said, knowing she couldn’t contact them. Her scroll was useless with all the dust interfering with the transmission. “I’m low on ammunition, we didn’t prep before we left the academy. I didn’t think I’d be getting into a fight with this guy.”

“Well, we’ve better think of something…” Blake bit out.

“You can’t go fight him, Blake.” Ruby told her. “We have to wait for the professors to arrive.”

“Too late.” Blake told her. “This isn’t a mission to me. It’s personal. You don’t have to get involved, but stay out of my way.”

Blake wasn’t going to back down as she headed down the rows of crates and machines. Ruby sighed, shaking her head as she took aim and fired several shots into the air in a pattern. The nearest thing she had to a distress call. Then she bolted out, Crescent Rose transforming into a scythe and meeting Roman head on. They went for blows, and his speed surprised her. She couldn’t get in a solid hit, the wide arc of her weapon just wasn’t cutting it. She had to hold back.

If she hit any of the mangled crates or uplifted any more dust, she'd be in trouble. A flurry of strikes got her nowhere, and with her heart racing she prayed back-up would arrive soon. Clangs of metal rippled out into the air, same with nearby gunfire she could hear taking place off to the side. Gritting her teeth, she refused to worry. She had to stand her ground.

Roman returned every strike, blocking hers and returning his own as the sounds of sirens began to draw closer. Blake cut in around the corner, sidelining him with a series of heavy blows that gave Ruby space to finally get in a good swing at him, and it landed. Hard, a sideways slice cutting into his jacket and biting into his skin. He stumbled back several paces, firing one last shot at a dust crate.

Blake and Ruby were caught in the blast and sent flying.

“It’s been fun ladies.” He said, breathing hard as small trickles of blood seeped from the shallow hash. “Until next time, kiddoes.” He said, tipping his hat and making his way to the one airship that hadn’t sustained damage from all of the exploding dust. Several White fang members were already inside. They closed the door with several grates they’d successfully pilfered. “Let’s get outta here. These damn kids just keep getting weirder and weirder.”

* * *

Ruby woke on a small medical cot. Beside her sat Glynda Goodwitch, keeping an eye on her students. Blake was already upright with a tissue to her nose and looking like she’d been thoroughly scolded. Her bow was atop her head once more, but she had clearly seen better days. “Hey Blake, are you okay?”

“I’m fine…” She sniffed.

“Miss Rose, you should endeavor not to move around.” Glynda told her. “You have been injected with medication to help you deal with all of the dust you doubtlessly inhaled during combat. It would be wise to rest up. Of course, you will be called in for questioning by the headmaster and myself at a later date. Miss Belladonna has already been informed of this, but you should be aware that Beacon Academy students are not to engage in combat outside of mission parameters. You shall both face detention for a failure to follow orders.”

“Yes ma’am.” Ruby nodded, she had known that going into the fight would lead to getting in trouble. So long as Blake was okay, she just didn’t care.

"Roman didn't get away again, did he?"

"He did, and you've only yourselves to blame. You should have stayed out of sight and informed Beacon Academy staff immediately." Glynda told her, unsure why the girl kept getting into fights with the criminal. "You're lucky you weren't taken captive or killed. Your teammates are aiding with the cleanup of dust residue. I will notify them that you have woken up. Professor Oobleck is on his way to retrieve you, do not leave until he has come to collect you personally.” Glynda said as she began to walk away.

Leaving the two teammates to themselves, she spared them only one final backwards glance. Inwardly, there was a small string of pride in their actions. Anyone in the profession would see their brave act as commendable. Still, it had been a dangerous move. It could have cause catastrophic damage, and Glynda would be remiss to ignore that. Luck had been on their side, yet she could only wonder for how long.

Left behind, Ruby could only fidget beside her teammate. She wanted to say something, but her tongue was tied up by too many questions. Only one stuck out. “Blake, why did you leave?”

“I can’t stay here, Ruby.”

“Why not?”

“Don’t you get it?” Blake asked softly. “I’m not a good person. I’ve done bad things, and there’s no way I can atone for them. Every time I think I might be doing the right thing, it blows up in my face. I used to be a member of the White Fang, I can’t escape that.”

“Well, who says you have to?” Ruby wondered. “You’re not a member anymore, right? So what does it matter?”

“There’s nothing I can do. I’m a criminal, if anyone found out about the things I used to do, I’d have a record a mile long. It was mostly petty crimes, but even so.” Blake told her, feeling as though Ruby was too good for this world. “Fighting Roman tonight proved to me just how weak I really am.”

"Well you're only a huntress-in-training. We both are, so we're sort of expected to be weaker than a guy like him." Ruby said slowly, “You never killed anyone, did you?”

“No, just Grimm. At least, I hope so.” Blake said honestly. “But what I did… what I used to do… that’s a fine line… I could have killed people and never known that I did. I never took a life, but I know people have been hurt before. What if they never got help? What if they eventually did die, and I never knew? Who really knows how my actions trickled out to harm others? I can’t say for certain that I’ve never done irreparable harm, or that I haven’t ruined someone’s life because of what I’ve done.”

“You can’t feel guilty about things that you don’t know about. Every huntsman in my life has done things they aren’t proud of. As much as I love my uncle, I know he’s not always a good person. He told me that himself, and he says it all the time.” Ruby told her. “You want to be a huntress, and things like that are always going to have a little bit of overlap. You said that those no such thing as pure evil, but isn’t that true for pure good as well?”

“Knowing that doesn’t justify anything.” Blake told her. “It just makes it worse. You can't rationalize it away like that.”

“That’s what it means to be a huntress. If we don't think that way, we can't fix anything. Nobody's perfect.”

“This from a girl that sees the world as sunshine and rainbows.”

“We make the world that way. That’s our job. To make the world a better place as best as we can. We’re the ones that take all the bad, so that the rest of the world doesn’t have to.” Ruby said quietly. It had been her dream to be a huntress, but she knew what it meant. She understood she couldn’t fix everything. “If you have a bad past, that doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters now is what you do with it. If you leave now, you make the people like the White Fang right about what they say. I know I can’t force you to stay, but I don’t understand how leaving helps anything.”

“You’re right about that…”

“So just stay.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“It can be.” Ruby told her, tilting her head to the side. “You just have to want it to be. We’re a team, we can make this work. I wouldn’t have tried looking for you if I didn’t really believe that. Either way, if you leave it has to be the right way. You have to apologize to the team and go on good terms.”

“I can’t believe you’re not angry at me…”

“Weiss is mad because you hid it. Yang and I… we’re used to lies like that. Hiding things, we grew up with people who did that every day. We know you didn’t do it to hurt us, but Weiss didn’t grow up the same way. She thought you were a human..." At that Ruby deflated. "We all did."

"That's because I never intended for you to find out."

"Well what if we wanted to know?"

"It wasn't for you to know."

"But try to see it from our side. You're our teammate. That's why we should have known. Don't you think Weiss had at least that much of a right?" Ruby asked her. "You've been picking fights with her from day one. Given who her family are, I can see why she would be a little freaked out… but you know she’s not a Faunus hater. She said bad things about that one boy, but he was in trouble with the law and she’s never said that kind of thing about other Faunus at school before… and… and…” Ruby closed her eyes and shook her head.

“You don’t have to defend her, Ruby.”

“I have to believe Weiss is a good person, just like I believe you’re a good person.” Ruby said firmly. “Bad pasts don’t change that for me. Say you’ll stay and for me this will all be water under the bridge. I know Yang will feel the same, and Weiss will come around."

"You don't know that..."

"She’s always done it before." Ruby said sadly. "Why can’t she do it now?"

Blake had no good answer for that. She chose not to say anything at all.

Ruby wasn't convinced. "We can be a team again. Now that this is all out there, we can talk about it and we can make things better. You just have to be willing to try.”

Yang and Weiss were headed towards them, and Blake found herself faced with a choice she didn’t have time to think about.

Ruby wasn’t going to turn her back on everything. She wasn’t going to try to force the issue, either. Blake could tell that the final decision would fall on her shoulders. She could tell that this was Ruby’s last attempt. It was clear in the air. Blake wondered if this was a deal with the devil. A small part of her mind thought that it was, but Ruby was too nice for that.

The girl wasn’t anything like Adam, would never be anything like him.

A glance over to the side slapped away every suspicion she had. Her teammates were calm. Yang seemed a little edgy, but neither one of them looked like they were about to gut her. Weiss was unusually composed, considering the circumstance. Blake looked back at Ruby, and that hopeful expression was the last straw. For once in her life, she’d found someone worthy of being followed.

Someone who was asking her to just submit to blind trust and faith in a better future. Adam had never run his faction of the White Fang that way, his rule was law. He ran his contingent with an iron fist. Ruby was a kinder, gentler hand. It was hard to say no to that. Still, her teammates were closing in fast.

Ruby stood up, trying to cut Weiss off at the pass with a hurried explanation that she hoped would appeal to her partner’s sensibilities. “Look Weiss, she explained the whole thing. You see she doesn’t actually just wear a bow. She has kitty ears and they’re actually kind of cute.”

“Relax, Ruby.” Weiss merely help up a hand to silence her partner, meanwhile her calculated stare was on none other than Blake Belladonna.

Blake knew she had explaining to do. “Weiss, I want you to know that I’m no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was with-”

“Stop.” Weiss said stiffly before sighing. That much had become apparent to her when she witnessed the absolute destruction of over half the shipment and her incapacitated teammates laid out on the ground unconscious. They had been surrounded by equally unconscious White Fang members. The arrival of Glynda Goodwitch and law enforcement was the only proof Weiss needed to know that Blake was not the culprit.

According to what little she knew from the professor, Roman Torchwick had been to blame. Ruby and Blake had taken arms against him. That brought her to only one conclusion. One that she had a difficult time accepting, but made indisputable by everything these past few days had shown her. The naked truth was in front of her, weather she wanted to believe it or not.

Refusing to notice that would have made her every bit as twisted as her father.

The facts were clear. Blake Belladonna had stood as direct opposition to the White Fang members here on this night, and apparently Roman himself. Whatever prior affiliations she had, they were not enough to make her loyal to them. If anything, it seemed to be the opposite. That was good enough a reason not to dwell on this entire mess.

“Do you have any idea how long we’ve been searching for you?” Weiss asked without any heat in her tone. Exasperation surely, annoyance coming as a close second. “Twelve hours. That means I’ve had twelve hours to think about this, and in that twelve hours I’ve decided that I don’t care.”

“You… don’t care?” Blake asked uneasily.

“You said you’re not one of them anymore, right?”

“No… no I haven’t since I-”

“Hush… I truly don’t want to hear it, and you’re in no condition to be talking about this” Weiss said, because she was sure it would make her angry. She didn’t want to be angry anymore, and she didn’t want to think of every little thing Blake could have gotten herself into. “You and Ruby surely have dust poisoning. You two will be flushing your bodies because of it. Now get your behind back in your cot before I put you there myself.”

“Weiss…?” Ruby murmured.

“You too, Ruby.” Weiss said, wagging her finger. “You were absolutely caked with dust when we found you. You may be feeling fine now, but you just wait until your medication wears off. You have absolutely no aura to speak of outside of that injection. You’ll be sick for days, and I’d rather you not fall face first onto the concrete.”

“You heard her sis.” Yang said sighing as she gave Ruby a little shove. “Go before you fall and break your face.”

“I’m sorry, Weiss.” Blake said softly as she went to sit back down.

“Don’t do that. Don’t say you’re sorry. The word is meaningless between a Faunus and a Schnee.” Weiss told her, because it was true in a way she wished it wasn’t. There were things that a word wouldn’t mend. Things it would never take back, and Weiss didn’t want to try to erase what had gone on. “We’ve both been regrettable these past few days. I’ve determined that we can both apologize until we’re blue in the face, but we both know it solves nothing. We are what we are, after all…”

Blake looked down sadly. Weiss was right about that. Still the woman took a seat beside her on the cot, and Blake found herself confused.

“I told Ruby before that it was a fight worth having, and I completely stand by that assessment. My actions were deplorable, Blake. I won’t say I’m sorry because you’ve probably heard that from my bloodline more than I care to admit, and it changes nothing. Instead, I’m going to promise you something that a Schnee has never promised before.”

“Huh?” Ruby asked before Yang nudged her to keep her quiet.

"Shh..." Yang hissed under her breath.

“The Schnee Dust Company isn’t going to be in my father’s hands forever. It is intended to fall under my control when my father retires. I will one day be the head of the company.” Weiss told them, turning to look Blake in the eye directly. “When I have power and sway over the company, you’ll see firsthand how sorry I am. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to give Faunus a better future. They will be hired into positions of authority. I will increase Faunus wages and health insurance coverage to meet rising demands, and that all of the mines will be brought up to code in a timely fashion. Lastly, perhaps more importantly, the prison mines will be flooded with teams of lawyers I personally appoint. I cannot change the laws, but I can promise that I will assure anyone within our mines have access to fair legal representation. I will promise my life on that, if you’re willing to make one in return.”

“What’s that?” Blake asked, wondering what on Remnant Weiss could want for such an incredibly impossible thing. It was what every Faunus working the mines hoped for,

“I want your word that you’ll never run off like that again, and that if you ever want to fight with me again, you do it honestly.” Weiss told her. “I need to be able to trust you, Blake. You need to promise me that next time something this big comes up, you come to your teammates. If you think it’s going to upset me, I don’t care. Come to us anyway. I’d rather we fight it out and get it over with than to have you trying to hide an issue. Besides, if you wish to hold me to my word, you’ll have to stay around long enough to see it happen.”

Blake nodded slowly. “It’s a promise…”

“Good.” Weiss said producing a small wad of lien from her bag. “Take this.”

“Why do you have that much money on you?” Blake asked, voice cracking against her confusion. It was all too much.

“It’s pocket change Blake, now take it.”

“I can’t do that.”

“I just promised you that I’d do everything in my power to give Faunus a better future. I am making good on that promise now to the best of my ability.” Weiss told Blake pointedly. “It’s the Vytal Festival, there are all sorts of charities for that money to go to. I can’t be seen putting money into the Faunus collection boxes. My father would absolutely lose his mind. So you take it, and you distribute it however you see fit.”

“Okay…” Blake said, tears in her eyes, more than a little overwhelmed. She doubted Weiss understood Faunus custom. The need to repay, the desire to restore. Yet, Weiss seemed to mean everything she said, and Blake took that even more seriously as a result. There had to be over a thousand lien in her hand. It felt heavy, too heavy. Then again, Weiss never did anything by half measure.

That was it then, it was settled. They were really going to do this…

They were really going to try and be a team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry once again for the mix-up of chapters. It happen to the best of us, I know but it's a stupid mistake on my part. I've said it before though and I'll say it again, the black and white storyline is absolutely cursed. Only one more chapter and we are out of this hell hole, I promise...


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, you're getting chapter 50 tonight because I feel like an asshat. Think of it as yet a further apology for my idiocy. With this chapter we leave Arc 2 behind us. Time to move onto bigger and better things, like the plotlines in volume 2 (thank god!) and sailing ships properly. 
> 
> Woes Be Gone didn't beta this chapter, but that's because we both agreed this arc is madness and we're both a little sick of it at this point. Gotta realize, I wrote this arc well over a year ago now and I had to give it so much length and time to really do it justice. That being said, I'm ready to move on to plotlines that are actually fun for a little while. Blake and White had to be full of drama, but many of the plotlines going forward are smooth sailing for a while. In the era of covid 19, we could all use some of that. 
> 
> So with that said, fuck you Arc 2, may you be loved for what you were, and forgiven for what you aren't. Helloooo to interludes and then Arc 3...

** Searching For Sunlight  
Arc 2: Brass Tacks   
Chapter 50 **

Yang hesitated outside the double doors. She had been hesitating for a while now. The night before she had just been relieved that everything worked out well for Ruby. Their team was back together, and the status quo loomed over them. In some ways Yang could tell none of them were completely satisfied with it, but the undercurrent of promises made it all at little easier to bear.

Now Ruby and Blake were in the infirmary clearing the dust out of their systems. It was as routine as ever for Ruby. The girl had bad luck with dust on good days, but the sure amount of it would take time to get rid of. It would take a little time, but then so many things seemed that way right about now. Yang was bad at waiting things out, and she felt restless. Assuring herself that Ruby was alright gave her the chance to finally go see Blake.

Blake and Ruby had been given separate rooms.

Ruby was on the human side of the infirmary, but Blake had been placed on the Faunus side. The two separated because there were some medications that Faunus couldn’t even be exposed to and vice versa. Not every Faunus had obvious traits, and keeping Faunus separated was a safety protocol to ensure best practices. It was no different than separating any other population that had obvious allergies, but Blake hadn't been keen on the idea.

Their teammate had fought the decision all the way back to Beacon Academy, but professor Port refused to budge on the topic. Even after pointing out that she had signed the requisite waver, it did no good.

Ruby made the final call, siding with the professor. She had ended up putting her foot down and demanding that Blake go. When Weiss also agreed, that was it. Blake had lost that warzone before it had even truly begun, and now Yang just couldn’t help it. She wanted to see her partner, wanted to make sure that Blake was still in that bed where she belonged.

Yang couldn’t help but fear that Blake wouldn’t be. Forcing her courage, she shoved open the doors and walked down the long hall of rooms. Blake had been put in the one all the way at the end. A nice corner room that looked out over the back end of the Beacon campus.

Opening the door, she found Blake right where she had hoped to find her. Sitting in bed with more hydration pumping into her body than what might otherwise be useful. Beside her a bedside commode had the lid closed, and Yang knew it was so the medical staff could monitor Blake’s output.

“Pissing like a racehorse, huh?”

“Shut up.” Blake grumbled, feeling absolutely awful. The injection had worn off, and her body was punishing her for it.

Yang glanced at the monitors that kept track of Blake’s vitals, her aura reading was still low and struggling to maintain itself over the fifteen percent marker. “Did you get your next round of aura enhancers?”

“Not yet, I don't think it'll be time for a while.” Blake said, amber eyes gazing over to that flickering line that wavered between ten and fifteen percent. It would spike and fall, belligerently combating the dust in her body. Without another injection to take the edge off, she knew she'd continue to feel ill. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with Ruby?”

“Weiss has her covered, besides it’s just a little dust poisoning. Been there, done that.”

“Somehow, I think than any bedside manner Weiss has would leave something to be desired.”

“Not that you guys don’t deserve anything she dishes out.” Yang said as she pulled up a chair. “Taking on Roman Torchwick on your own. That was dumb. I expect Ruby to do crazy things like that, but not you…”

“I wasn’t on my own, I was with Sun. I told you that.” Blake said before her eyes narrowed. “Didn’t I?”

“Yeah, ya did.” Yang said with a soft nod. “Like I said last night, he got his ass handed to him pretty good. He was caught in one of the blasts too. He’s um… a few rooms down I think, but no one is allowed to visit him. He’s in huge trouble, and so is Penny. You two really made a mess of things, and you’ve made it really hard on me since I’m Ruby's sister. I don’t know if I should be pissed at her for getting into danger, or proud of her for backing up one of our own…”

“I’m sorry, Yang.” Blake murmured. “I didn’t want to get Ruby involved. I didn’t want any of you tied up in this mess.”

“Kinda too late for that. Ruby ended up in Beacon because of her tango with Torchwick from way before that. It’s not exactly something you can keep her out of, and now with the White Fang, well we’re all in too deep.” Yang told her, wanting to say more, and finding that impossible. “So… the aura enhancers they’ve got you guys on can be pretty rough stuff. Don’t feel too bad about things getting hazy. It normally clears up once you’re off of them… but hey, you’re holding up better than Ruby is. She’s as high as a kite.”

“Poor Ruby.” Blake said sympathetically.

“Poor Weiss, you mean.” Yang said with a small shrug. “Ruby’s hanging all over her and driving her completely nuts.”

“Poor Weiss, then.” Blake echoed dryly.

“Look, I wish I could hang around, but I can’t." Yang said, feeling more tired now than she had all weekend. A case of the Monday's were nothing compared to flood of emotional weight draining itself. She could have done with a nice long sleep, but that wasn't happening. "I’ve got to do my aura training. Also, someone really needs to copy all of JNPR’s notes so we have them for later. Peach and Goodwitch will kill me if I skip out and we can’t let our grades slip. It should only take me a few hours. I can come back after that… if you want…”

“Please don’t come unless you’re going to smuggle me in something decent to eat.” Blake said, as her belly protested. Liquid meals just weren’t satisfying.

Yang just offered a soft smile shaking her head. “Wish I could, but you’re on a restricted diet. You’ve got the little sticker on the door and everything. Your aura is going to reject literally everything you put in there right now because it’s trying to fight off all that dust. Trust me, all you’ll do is puke.”

“You know, if you wanted to torture me, there are more effective methods.” Blake murmured, amber eyes sliding to the window. It was a nice day outside. She wished she could go read under her usual tree. "I hate places like this."

“You did a good enough job of that yourself, after all you're the one that landed yourself in here. Maybe think twice before fighting in a shipyard full of dust.” Yang said, heading for the door. “Weiss will be bouncing rooms. If you need anything while I’m gone, just ask her. You sure you don’t want me to come by later?”

Blake shook her head. “I’d rather be alone. I don’t feel well, and to be honest I need some time to think. I might be feeling a little better tomorrow. You can tell Weiss that I don’t really want any visitors right now.”

“Okay.” Yang said slowly. “Tomorrow then, I’ll be here as soon as visiting hours open up.”

"You don't have to be here that early." Blake protested quietly.

"I may not have to, but I will anyway." Yang told her honestly. "We're a team, Blake. It's kind of the way these things go."

* * *

“This will be the last round of aura enhancers.” The nurse said to Weiss as she took tapped a note away on a keyboard. “Miss Rose is recovering as expected, everything seems to be in order. I’d expect her to be released in a few hours to continue her recovery in the relative comfort of the dormitory. Miss Belladonna will need to stay a little longer. She seems to have more dust in her system. It will take time to clear.”

“With all due respect, I don’t believe that Ruby should be released today.” Weiss said softly. “I know more than my fair share about dust, and you could say I’m an expert on the subject. As far as I know it is a common practice to keep someone under a watchful eye for several days if they’ve been poisoned.”

“While you’d be right about that when it comes to an average person, a huntress-in-training would be released after she is out of immediate danger. For Miss Rose the dust levels in her system are dropping at the usual rate, we’d have no reason to keep her under observation. The restricted diet would stay in place for a few days, but it isn’t customary to keep a huntress in the medical bay like a normal civilian.”

Weiss just shook her head. “I won’t argue the semantics, but I will say that it will be impossible for Ruby to be released in her current state. She seems to have an adverse reaction to aura enhancers. I don’t suspect that will wane so long as she persists to be on them. As her partner, I would argue the release on the parameters that she isn’t of sound mind to be wandering the dormitory.”

The nurse smiled kindly. “Unfortunately, only the ranking team leader can make that decision.”

“I see.” Weiss said, eyes narrowing. "Well, the ranking team leader isn't the sort I'd cross where Ruby Rose is concerned."

“Is there a problem here, Miss Schnee?” Glynda asked, holding several files in one arm.

“They’re trying to release my partner from the infirmary. I disagree.” Weiss told her. “Ruby is not of sound mind to be released.”

“Is she emotionally unstable?” Glynda asked.

“No, but her allergy to dust stands to reason. She has a noteworthy reaction to aura enhancers. To be very frank with you, she’s acting drunk. Yang said she’s prone to it.”

“Ah, yes that could be an issue. She did bypass inhibitor exposure training.” Glynda murmured, turning to the nurse. “Override Beacon Academy protocol. Miss Rose was advanced a few years in her education. See that her file is added to the list of students that are not permitted to be placed in training while under the influence of aura enhancing drugs.”

“Yes ma’am.” The nurse murmured, stepping away to handle the matter swiftly.

Glynda lingered, gazing down at her student. “It is a habit to include basic training while under the influence of certain approved drugs, as there is always a risk of exposure while in the field. Learning to handle the complications of those problems mitigates the risk of death in an unsafe environment. However, that is a preference of training. It is not considered mandatory by Beacon Academy bylaws.”

“Which is why half the campus smells like pot.” Weiss said dryly.

“In a manner of speaking.” Glynda said slowly, although it had much less to do with that and far more to do with Ozpin's lack of caring. It was a recreational drug common in the field, he saw no need to restrict its use on campus. He found it to be a valuable tool for safe experimentation, a fact that Glynda pointedly disagreed with. “I have come to ask a few questions, but it seems Miss Rose would not be able to answer them. Please have her fill out this form when she is of sound mind to do so.”

“Certainly, will that be all?” Weiss asked.

“For now.” Glynda replied softly. “I can only suspect this entire escapade had much to do with why you showed up to my office, and I have many questions about that as well. Were you expecting this incident down by the docks?”

“I always suspect something when it comes to my family and the White Fang, Professor Goodwitch.” Weiss told her. “The meeting I intended to have with you is only vaguely related to any of it. I certainly didn’t think that my teammates would try to face a criminal, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Your teammates have much to answer for, I assure you. You are under my scrutiny as well. I may have forgiven your flagrant disregard for you place here at this academy, but I won't forget it either. ” Glynda told her. “I would suggest you all reconsider your choices in matters regarding the White Fang in the future. There may come a day when your luck runs out.”

“Yes, of course.” Weiss said simply before being dismissed. She could only sigh as she folded the questionnaire and entered Ruby’s room once more. The girl was looking at one of the walls, as if seeing something that wasn’t there. “What are you doing, Ruby?”

“I wanna make a sardine cake.” Ruby said as if that was the most logical thing in the world to do.

“I don’t think that would taste very good.” Weiss told her with a roll of her eyes.

“But if you’ve never had one before, how can you know if it tastes good or not?”

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t even think Blake would eat a cake filled with sardines.”

“I bet you I can make one that tastes great…”

“Under no circumstance are you going near an oven right now.”

“I know how to bake, I’m super good at it.”

“You’re in the infirmary, that’s reason enough to keep you away from kitchens at all cost...”

“Oh…” Ruby said deflating as she plucked at her bed sheets. “Why am I in here again?”

“You have dust poisoning.” Weiss told her for the umpteenth time that day as she placed Ruby’s breakfast in front of her once more. The almost white substance in the bottle was filled with nutrition, though Weiss knew it likely wasn’t palatable in the slightest. It was apparently vanilla flavored, but Weiss had her own fair share of dust poising in the past. She was dubious to say the least. "You must do everything in your power to return to class quickly. Which is why you must continue taking in fluids. Eat your breakfast.”

Ruby didn’t think about how the bottle had betrayed her before. Instead, she lifted the drink to her lips, scrunching her nose when the awful taste attacked her again. “It tastes like milk…. but with chalk… milk chalk. Is that a thing?”

“No, it isn’t. As bad as it might taste, you still need to have it.”

“Hmm… nope!” Ruby said, twisting on the cap and dropping it into the trash can. “Bye-bye milk chalk.”

Weiss groaned at length as she rubbed her face. Yang warned her that Ruby wouldn’t be in her right mind. A low dose administered in the field was one thing. A larger dose given while in the infirmary was another. Weiss was certain she could handle it, but she had vastly underestimated just how badly Ruby responded to the aura enhancers. The girl began to fling off her covers and Weiss grabbed her. “Just where do you think you’re going?”

“I gotta pee.”

“Not on your own, you’re not.” Weiss said with a frown. “You just wait.” Weiss demanded. “Stay there and don’t you dare move.”

“But Weiss-”

“Don’t move from that spot.” She ordered as she came around to the other side of the bed. “Last time you tried to make to the commode by yourself Yang had to scoop you up off of the floor.”

“Is that why my side hurts so bad?”

“Probably, so be careful. You don't have a stabilized aura, Ruby.” Weiss sighed as she hoisted Ruby up from the bedside and helped her to walk the few paces it took to get there. As Ruby fumbled with her underwear and sat down Weiss tried not to think about it as she gazed about the room. She promised to be the best teammate she could ever be. Helping Ruby like this was to be expected, that was her rationalization, and she was sticking to it. It didn’t stop her from feeling mortified though.

The only saving grace was that Ruby was too medicated to care.

* * *

Other than the soft drone of the monitors Ruby’s room was unusually peaceful when Yang returned. She wished it would have stayed that way, but Weiss was just sitting there, mouth hanging open like a fish. “You alright there, princess?” Yang asked dryly, eyebrow raised because while the sight in front of her was a common one, she hadn’t expected their white haired teammate to tolerate it.

“Yang… I wasn’t… I didn’t…”

“Hey, chill I know you better than that.” Yang said as she walked over to the spot her sister rested. That she was cuddled up against Weiss was secondary to the reason behind it. She picked up her sister carefully so as not to wake her and deposited her back into her bed, mindful of all the wires she was attached to. “It’s a thing we used to do as kids, Ruby never really grew out of it.”

“I didn’t know…”

“Wasn’t any reason to tell you, and it’s not exactly something we bring up.” Yang told her. “That whole picking at old wounds thing? This is part of that.”

“What does this have to do with her mother?”

“How out of it is she?” Yang asked, nodding to her sister.

“She’ll be out for a while I presume. The nurse gave her a very mild sedative to help relax her, but as you can it was more than a little effective.”

“Good then I don’t need to worry about her catching wind of this. It has way more to do with Summer Rose than either one of us want to admit.” Yang muttered as she took a seat beside her teammate. “There’s a lot of stuff like that. We just don't talk about it. When we were really little, our dad wasn’t around a whole lot since he worked at Signal. Summer was basically it as far as I can really remember.”

“Was that his choice?” Weiss asked tentatively.

“Not really, I don’t think he had a choice. He was a fairly new teacher, so he put in a lot of long hours. He never really learned how to be a real parent, not like the kind you see on sitcoms. He was too rough around the edges for that, he still is in some ways. Anyway, it was always Summer that babied us when we weren’t feeling very good. After she died, he was all we had. I mean, we had our uncle. It’s just that he comes and goes.”

“That sounds quite difficult.” Weiss said, lacking anything else she could say. Ruby and Yang always seemed so bright and cheerful. It was insane to think that they may have had a difficult upbringing. With every new tidbit she discovered though, Weiss began to paint a mental image that was less than stellar. “I’m surprised you don’t hate him."

"Why would I?"

"My father is without a doubt a tyrant in many ways, Yang, but at the very least he was around to raise me." Weiss said, though she knew that fact was a double edged sword. Klein had once told her that all parents had a tendency to make grave errors while raising their child. She had assumed it to be a mild excuse to soothe away years of her father's bullying. Now that she was older, she knew it as fact. "I know I would have held it against him if he hadn't been an influence. Though I suppose he has plenty of his own misgivings anyway."

“Dad didn’t leave us alone all the time by choice, Weiss. It’s hard to hold it against him. Besides I’ve got other people to blame for that, but that’s an entirely different story.” Yang said, avoiding saying the one thing that always eluded her about her past. “After Summer died, dad was up shit creek without a paddle. Two kids, and no idea what he was doing. Whenever we got sick he would just kind of plunk his ass on the sofa and we’d lay there with our heads in his lap. Probably not the best way to handle things, but it was his way.”

“At least he cared enough to do so. My father rarely saw after me when I was ill. At least, not in that sort of way. We weren't to be coddled in my household.”

“Maybe.” Yang laughed a bit bitterly. “Everything he did was hit and miss more times than not, trust me on that.”

“It sounds to me like he did the best he knew how.”

“It probably would have been way easier if he had raised boys instead. He might have known what to do, but he played the hand he was dealt.” Yang said with a small laugh that didn’t have any real strength behind it. “So when we were sick, he’d just sit there, and we’d get cozy beside him. He would play with our hair and watch the television. Then, one day he just decided we were too old to do that anymore and he stopped letting us."

"Well, the time would need to come for that eventually, correct?"

"I don't know about that, really." Yang said with a sigh. "We mostly grew out of it, but there are times Ruby just sort of goes back to doing it when I’m around. I used to think it was because she was being a spoiled brat, but as we got older I figured out that it’s just the way she is.”

“Ruby is atypical during the best of times, Yang. Why would it be any different when she’s ill?”

“That’s the issue with all of this. I wouldn’t be telling you about our upbringing if it didn’t matter.”

“Well, obviously it does.” Weiss said softly. “I haven’t brought anything up, Yang. I’ve kept my promise about that.”

“It was way easier for me to think of her as your partner when you were at each other’s throats.” Yang said as she stood up and took that single step to Ruby’s bedside, leaning heavily on the railing. She could only guess what Ruby might be dreaming about. “At least then I knew where the line was. As time goes on, it gets harder to tell. I’m glad you don’t actually hate her..."

"I don't see the issue, then."

"Thing is, you and I have walked the walk and danced the dance. Ruby hasn’t, and I know you let her get away with things… things like this… and part of me knows where that’s going.”

“Just what are you implying?”

“Come on, Weiss. Best buddies can be way more than that if you let it. Knowing what I know about you, and knowing Ruby’s swings that way too, I can’t say I’m a huge fan of where that leads. I get that Ruby wasn't thinking, but she wanted to cuddle up with you. That means something. I guess I might be reading into it a little too much, but I've gotta think about it too. I mean, what if I'm not just seeing things?”

“Yang, she’s too young.” Weiss said, standing and also finding her place beside Yang. “I wouldn’t even dream of what you’re suggesting.”

“That’s why I know that you had no part to play in her random… whatever that was. In our heads, that’s a boundary you just don’t cross right now. Still though, she’s not going to be fifteen forever, and if this team lasts we’ll be together for four years. When that line blurs as she gets older, your logic is going to shit the bed hard.” Yang shot back, feeling uneasy about all of it. “Besides, it’s not you I’m worried about. These things have a way of creeping up without her noticing it.”

“Isn’t that to be expected?” Weiss asked then. “I’m not completely daft. I know a crush when I see one. However, I’m sure that’s all that it is. Besides, I’m sure her sexuality hasn’t solidified enough in her mind for her interest in me to be anything more than a passing curiosity. She has no concept of personal space on a good day.”

"You're right, but she's also not exactly a social butterfly either. Cuddling up to me? Yeah, I'm her big sis. That's kind of a thing little sisters do to an older sibling when you're as close as we are. That's different. We're family. As for you? Well, she's been trying to get your approval since day one. What that mean?"

"It means she has a crush, Yang. It happens, but I doubt it's anything extreme."

“I think you’re against clock on this one. Ruby’s maturing more quickly than she would at Signal.”

“I’ll cross that bridge if it ever comes.”

“It will, you know…”

“Perhaps, but there is no sense in worrying about that now.”

“Her friends back there are having their first dates and relationships. Instead of having those experiences too, she’s here trying to keep up with everything else she isn’t ready for. Beacon was a step too far and she’s starting to get that. She’s not giving that up now, she’s going to dive in head first. Hell or high water be damned, and you’re going to be there for it.” Yang said then, knowing that Ruby would probably always be clingy in some way or another. The girl was a lover, not a fighter. "Bonds form that way, you know."

"Just what exactly are you worried about, Yang?"

“Well, you’re involved with someone else, right?”

“Well there’s no use in hiding the finer details from you.” Weiss sighed, she understood what Yang was trying to ask. There were a lot of questions, but they all boiled down to one simple worry. Yang just didn’t want her sibling to get hurt. “Come with me.”

* * *

Yang followed Weiss to a large airship docked at the back of the academy. With a stack of card keys in hand, Weiss thumbed through them before finding the right one and sliding it into the slot. The door unlocked, Weiss held it open. “Well Yang, if you wish to know the truth you’ll find it in there.”

Yang stepped inside as a tall woman donning resplendent white armor walked out from another room. “Weiss what a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting you to stop by so late, nor to bring a visitor.”

“This is Yang Xiao Long, one of my teammates.” Weiss replied simply before turning to Yang. “Yang, this is Curilla V Mecru. I consider her a very close friend, but we’re also promised to each other through arrangement proceedings. Of course that’s purely my father’s conjecture.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Yang.” Curilla said as jovially as she could possibly force herself to be.

“Uh, hi…” Yang muttered uneasily, noticing the fact that this woman had striking silver eyes, not unlike Ruby’s own. The second thing that came to mind was the woman’s age. It was hard not to notice that staggering age difference. "Uh, your armor's like Jaune's, but on steroids..."

"I'll take your word for it." Curilla said, unsure if that was a compliment.

“Curilla, your finest bourbon please.” Weiss said as she pushed her friends towards the sitting area. “The wine would go to waste, Yang’s not a connoisseur.”

“Indeed, please make yourselves comfortable.”

Curilla’s smile made Yang’s skin crawl as she turned to her friend. Once Curilla was well out of earshot, she regarded the Schnee heiress with the same disgruntled expression. “Talk about robbing the cradle. You’re marrying that chick?”

“Hardly, Yang.” Weiss scoffed. “Yang when you said that I’ve walked the walk, you clearly assumed I was more like you in my freedom of choice when it came to bedfellows. That is not the case, Curilla is the only person that’s lasted beyond the first date, and it’s hardly what I’d call romantic. The nearest thing we can call ourselves is friends with benefits.”

“Weiss, I’m crushed.” Curilla said, bringing in a try with three empty glasses and ice within.

“She’s joking, of course.” Weiss said in way of explanation. “She has a very dry humor.”

“Oh…” Yang said dumbly. “So you two aren’t…”

“Only insofar as it applies to corporate politics.” Curilla replied, gingerly pouring the amber liquid into three lowball glasses. “Weiss and I have something of an agreement, if you’d care to think of things that way. Although, I am curious that this is the nature of our first discussion.”

“There was no reason to hide it from Yang any further.” Weiss said flatly as she took one of the offered glasses. “I’ve long decided she isn’t a gossip risk.”

“No, you’re right.” Curilla said then. “Raven’s bloodline would care very little about that, I presume.”

“Raven…” Yang bit out between her teeth. “You know Raven?”

“Of course I do. You cannot walk the wilds in Mistral as long as I have without crossing her path at least once.” Curilla replied, shaking her head as she gave Yang the other glass before sipping from her own. “You’re the spitting image of her. I should have suspected you’d be inhabiting her old stomping grounds. We’re hardly friends, but I wouldn’t say we’re enemies, either.”

“Do you know where she is now?” Yang wondered then.

“Afraid not, she travels Mistral often enough that we cross paths. She finds me, never the other way around. As far as I know, she has taken on a classified mission. I’m not privy to where her location is, nor would I ever have access to that information unless it became something I needed to know.” It was then that Curilla frowned, taking a seat. She could hardly disclose every minor detail, but honesty was in her favor. She had very little she knew of to tell. “I rarely come to Vale, and my business here has absolutely nothing to do with Raven at this time. Though, if I do happen to find out her whereabouts, I’d be happy to inform Weiss. She can easily transfer that information to you.”

“That’s more than anyone else has ever bothered to do.” Yang said softly, sipping on the bourbon and glancing over to her teammate. “Did you know about any of this?”

“I have no idea what you two are even talking about.” Weiss said with no small amount of exasperation. “Who is this woman, anyway?”

“Never mind. It's just my biological mom, don’t worry about it.” Yang said shaking her head. “It’s more of that picking at old wounds thing… feel like I’m saying that a lot recently, but it’s true.”

“I see…” Weiss trailed of softly.

“More to the point, if that wasn’t the reason you came here, something else certainly was.” Curilla said. “Weiss was very adamant that I shouldn’t cross paths with her friends and fellow students here at Beacon academy. Now, she brings a teammate onto my ship. I cannot help but to be curious.”

“Yang brought up a point of concern, I saw fit to correct that.” Weiss told her. “I was merely leaving no question as to the nature of our relationship.”

“Ah, well surely that has been pointedly achieved.”

Weiss nodded. “As you can plainly see, Yang, Curilla and I are not exactly compatible. However, so long as I am off the market so to speak, father will leave me well enough alone when it comes to suitors. I can enjoy my time here at Beacon Academy and fill certain voids that would otherwise be pure frustration. This arrangement will only last as long as it suits us. If I were to find something meaningful with someone else, this betrothal would cease to exist at all.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Yang said distractedly. Her mind had drifted elsewhere, but Weiss had cleared that up at least. “That makes sense…”

* * *

She made a promise to herself when she came to Beacon Academy. She swore that she would put her studies first and Raven second. Her search put on hold, just for a while. Doing that was becoming harder by the day. In her vaguest of memories, she could recall the woman in those old photos. They were so distant that she couldn’t put the pieces together of that past. If she thought hard about it, she could remember the house being full of shouting.

But, she couldn’t recall if it was really that bad or not.

Somehow, it never seemed to be. She wondered how many of those foggy memories were changed by a hopeful heart. She couldn’t pin it all down. Raven left, that was all she knew for sure. That was stone cold fact, the kind that didn’t fade. The reasons why had been buried. She would dig them up one day. She was sure of that. In the meantime, she had to move on with her other pursuits, and the only way to do that was to take everything day-in and day-out.

She didn’t know what love really was, but she knew that Blake came the closest thing to it.

If what she felt was love at all, there had to be something behind it. She still felt it after Blake had run off. There was no denying that she should have been just as betrayed as Weiss, and just as angry. She had every reason to, but none of those reasons seemed significant at the time. Hurt and worry had come before true anger, and that mix was confusing all on its own. She had been angry, but only at herself and the things she just didn't have answers for.

Blake Belladonna was an enigma. Yang couldn't help but to be drawn in to those stunning amber eyes and everything she could see hidden beneath them.

Now that Blake was back, Yang couldn’t face any more uncertainty. The talk was long overdue. With Blake still sitting in the infirmly bed, it was made that much harder. Blake would be fine, Yang knew that. It should have been easy to just talk to the girl, same as she had any other person she’d tried to date. It wasn’t like she was a novice, but she felt the jitters as she sat there talking about classes and nonsense.

None of it really mattered and all of it was enough to drive her crazy. The bow on Blake’s head was just more fuel to that fire, infuriating because it had kept so many things locked away. There was a past concealed there, a history. Things that Yang didn’t dare try and figure out, too afraid to know what really lurked there. She was happier never knowing, and that’s what she decided as she avoided Faunus related topics like the plague.

All of it became heavy when that small talk turned to their team, and their partnership. Blake promised to do better, but Yang saw the one thing she hated. That stupid emotional wall holding her at a distance, just like always.

“What if I don’t want to just be partners Blake?” Yang asked when Blake had said she would do her best to maintain a professional relationship. “And what if I don’t just want to be friends either?”

“You don’t want to get too close to me, Yang.” Blake told her. “You saw what happened when Ruby tried. Don’t get attached, you’re just going to get hurt.”

“I’ve already gotten hurt.” Yang told her, placing down the deck of cards she had been shuffling. “You leaving... that hurt pretty bad already."

"That won't happen again, Yang."

"Still though! Blake, it reminded me of things I’m trying not to think about." Yang said, one hand coming up to fluff at her hair while the other gripped the pants of her track suit. She was glad she was wearing it because she would need a good workout after all of this. "I’m not good at doing things halfway. Never have been, never will be. I can take my chances, I’m good with that... I know that I want to take my chances with you.”

“I’m not ready for any kind of commitment. I just got out of a really bad relationship.” Blake said, refusing to dive into the details. “I came to Beacon to study, not date.”

“I kind of figured that. You’ve been like this stone wall nobody can get passed. People only do that when they’re trying to protect themselves emotionally.” Yang said quietly, one fist smacking into an open palm by way of a gesture. “Sometimes though, that wall starts to fall. I guess you could say I like what I see when it does. You didn’t say you weren’t into women, so clearly me being a girl isn’t a huge turn-off. I got this vibe when we went out a few times, almost like you were holding back.”

“There’s a lot to like about you.” Blake told her. “I just don’t think that it’s a good idea. You hardly know me.”

“Well that part is up to you.” Yang told her. “I’m not asking for a lifetime and a couple of kids here. I’m just asking for a few dates to see if it can go anywhere. It isn’t something you need to cram a label on, or anything like that.”

Blake’s head was so foggy from the medication, and Yang’s offer was only muddying the waters more. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, overwhelmed by all of it. “A lot just happened. Can I…” Blake cleared her throat when it began to close up on her. She sighed softly. “Yang I need some time okay? I don’t want to be impulsive about this. Can I think about it and get back to you?”

“Yeah, of course.” Yang said, taking Blake’s hand in her own. “I don’t want to rush you into anything Blake. I just wanted you to know the truth. I care about you, and I want to see if we can maybe be something more. If you need me to wait, I will. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the bees are starting to become a thing. Weiss and Yang had the nearest thing to a "shot-gun" talk as they ever will, and we are now out of Arc II. 
> 
> See you in the next chapter which will be an interlude...

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've recently started creating content with a long time friend of mine. Together we're known as "The Demented Ferrets". We have all sorts of content being prepped. We stream on Twitch, and now we have a YouTube channel.
> 
> Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FerretsDemented  
> Our Blog: https://dementedferrets.com/
> 
> If you want to watch us make fools of ourselves on Twitch you can do that here: https://www.twitch.tv/the_demented_ferrets
> 
> Tuesdays: 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM (GMT)  
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> Saturdays: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM (GMT)
> 
> If you want to see our YouTube content, you can do that here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC57x2Xu2IXCbqyZIhxMJ7kA


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